Colonel Christopher Paris, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police, today announced the commencement of a pilot program designed to ensure department readiness for implementing body-worn cameras last week;

“The public rightfully expects their interactions with police be safe, respectful, and constitutional, and I believe the use of body-worn cameras demonstrates that the Pennsylvania State Police is committed to providing faithful and honest law enforcement services,” said Paris.

“In addition to providing transparency and accountability, body-worn cameras document evidence in criminal cases and present opportunities to enhance training, just like the mobile video recording cameras we began using in patrol cars two decades ago.”

The pilot program is going to dictate which features state police select and ultimately the total cost, which comes in at just over $20 million. Troopers will use the Axon Body 3, or AB3, Lt Adam Reed said as part of a five year contract signed by the department with the Arizona based company that seeks to transforming pubic safety efforts through technology.

Axon, which has a huge piece of the law enforcement market throughout the county, has a lot of options we’re taking a look at, Reed said.

Patrol troopers assigned to Troop H, in Carlisle County will wear the cameras while on duty. As a cost reduction measure, the department uses a shared service model. Eighteen cameras allotted to Carlisle get passed between troopers during shift changes said Paris.

The 60-day trial run allows the department to determine best practices and policies and identify any needs for additional equipment or software features. When the pilot program concludes, the department plans to implement body-worn cameras at all of its 87 patrol stations.

Carlisle was selected as the test location because its geographic area is representative of the communities served by the Pennsylvania State Police. Additionally, the station is close to the PSP Bureau of Communications and Information Services, the bureau tasked with monitoring the pilot program, in Harrisburg, said State Police officials.