Police body cameras in Delaware: Seeing is believing?

SMYRNA — For about 4½ months Delaware State Police have evaluated the merits of trooper-worn body cameras with an eye on permanent implementation.

The pilot program involves 25 trained troopers testing the capacity to record their actions with a self-activated device.

A check with the Smyrna Police Department would elicit rave reviews.

The municipal law enforcement agency in northernmost Kent County currently has approximately 17 cameras on the streets each day, with every patrol officer equipped with a device.

“The cameras have proved useful in countless situations from the most mundane to the most serious,” said spokesman Cpl. Brian Donner.

While the cameras are seen as significant additions to a crime fighter’s set of tools, “it hasn’t affected day-to-day police work whatsoever in the sense of how we operate,” Cpl. Donner said.

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