UNM police to begin using body cameras

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It is a first for the University of New Mexico police department, body cameras are on the way. It’s a new tool to help campus police in whatever situation they may come across. “Not only officers, but also citizens, if you really think about it. It will hold everybody accountable,” said Lt. Larry Bitsoih.

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The University of New Mexico Police Department will soon equip its officers with body cameras. “I know what’s probably going to happen, once a policy is in place, that most likely every officer that’s on duty will probably end up wearing a camera, from the chief, the top ranks, all the way down to the patrolmen.”

The department says they have been wanting to get body cameras for a while but funding was one of their largest hurdles. “Well, it’s fortunate that we were able to obtain the funds for this extra tool to help us in our everyday, daily work.”

According to UNM, they also have over 3,000 surveillance cameras around the campus, which
help officers respond to calls, be it normal calls for service or if there are escalated situations on campus. The department said these new body cameras will hold officers and the public accountable. “When dealing with the public, the public might want to react to us a little differently, as well. And again, that’s where accountability on both sides come into effect.”

The department is still working to create policies and procedures for the body camera and hope to do so once a lieutenant is hired to oversee the rollout. “That will be their sole purpose, is to implement the policy, procedure, oversee it, understand how it’s stored, how to recover records, and stuff like that.”

The department expects to start utilizing the body cameras by December. In 2020, the New Mexico Senate passed a bill, which required law enforcement to wear body cams, with exceptions for university police. Prior to that law passing, NMSU started using body cameras in 2011.

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