UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa (WJAC) — According to a university release, all Penn State police officers will now be equipped with body cams, beginning Monday, May 17th.

Officials say this decision allows Penn State police to be more transparent and accountable, and also helps support safety for both the officers and the community.

“This important step builds on our ongoing efforts to cultivate a more trusting relationship with community members,” said Charlie Noffsinger, associate vice president for Penn State University Police and Public Safety (UPPS). “Body-worn cameras contribute to officer accountability and give police and citizens another tool that contributes to better policing. While not a solution on their own, body-worn cameras can be used as a promising approach to improve interactions within communities when appropriate policy safeguards and training are in place.”

Last year, campus police requested funding from the university in order to purchase the body cams, a request that the university has fulfilled.

“Appropriating funds for this initiative during fiscally challenging times triggered by a pandemic demonstrates that University leaders understand how important this equipment is to our officers and the Penn State community,” said Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for Finance and Business. “Body-worn cameras support safety and accountability during police-citizen interactions and have strong support from the public as they demonstrate transparency in policing operations.”

For more information about the use of body-worn cameras, storage of video data, university police policies, visit the University Police and Public Safety website.

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