New Berlin Police Officers Are Now Equipped With Body Cameras

NEW BERLIN, WI — Monday was the first day that officers with the New Berlin Police Department began wearing body cameras, according to a Facebook post by the agency.

The implementation of the Axon 3 body-worn cameras comes after a multi-year process that began around 2020. The goal of the cameras is to accurately document interactions between the public and police to increase transparency, and to capture the professionalism of officers, the department's Facebook post said. The footage could also aid with investigations into citizen complaints and reviews of interactions.

"Now that the implementation phase is upon us, I would like to thank our elected officials and the community for their ongoing support. I also want to acknowledge all of our personnel for embracing body worn cameras and to recognize our continued commitment to professionalism," Police Chief Jeff Hingiss said in the Facebook post.

The footage that the cameras obtain will be open to state open records law. The New Berlin Common Council approved the purchase of the body cameras, 50 in total, plus 17 vehicle cameras and all the related equipment during a meeting in December 2021.

"We didn't want to be the last ones to have them," Police Captain Mike Glider told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in September 2021.