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Cherry Hill Police Chief shows off an example of a body camera officers have been testing for the past four months as part of a PILOT program, during a press conference on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. The chief is accompanied by Assemblyman Paul Moriarty and Sen. Donald Norcross, who is drafting a bill that would require all officers wear such body cameras. (Jason Laday | South Jersey Times).

CHERRY HILL TWP. — Sen. Donald Nocross (D-5, of Camden) on Thursday announced he was drafting legislation that would require all police officers on patrol to wear body cameras.

The state senator announced the proposed legislation during a press conference outside the Cherry Hill Police Department with Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-4, of Washington Township), one day after Gov. Chris Christie signed into law a bill championed by the assemblyman requiring all municipal patrol cars be equipped with cameras.

Stating he intends to introduce the body camera bill in the "next couple weeks," Norcross made his case by referencing both the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the recent release of video capturing former Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice striking his then-fiancé in an Atlantic City elevator.

"Ferguson didn't have a video camera, and we still don't know what exactly happened — video and audio would have put it to rest," said Norcross. "Meanwhile, the Ray Rice video said it all."

According to Norcross, the body camera legislation, which is still in the drafting process, would apply to all patrol officers in New Jersey, including state and transit police.

He added that, similar to the patrol car cameras, soon to be installed in the next six months across New Jersey where they haven't already, the body cameras will protect both officers and the public from false accusations and abuse.

"If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then a video is priceless," said Norcross.

Moriarty, who sponsored the vehicle camera bill after an in-car video captured his 2012 DWI arrest and provided evidence that led to a dismissal of all charges — as well as the indictment of the officer on 14 criminal charges including falsifying a police report — said he "wouldn't be here today" if it weren't for video evidence.

"Two years ago I was just another lying politician," he said. "No one believed me. Even I wouldn't have believed me, until the video came out."

The assemblyman added that while the cameras will "most likely exonerate police officers 85 percent of the time," it's also important, in his personal experience, that the evidence expose the "bad apples" in the other 15 percent of instances.

"We need cameras to protect both the public and the officer," said Moriarty. "Cameras don't lie, and they don't forget."

The Cherry Hill Police Department has since 2004 equipped all of its patrol vehicles with cameras, and in the past four months has been testing a program to bring body cameras into regular use as well.

Chief William Monaghan said he and his department are working to acquire a system that would allow them to "marry up" the body cameras with vehicle cameras, and upload all videos into a cloud-based service, where it can be stored and retrieved when needed.

"It used to be the old police adage that 'If it wasn't written down, it didn't happen,'" he said. "Now with technology today unfortunately, it's changed to 'If it wasn't recorded, it didn't happen.'

"(Body cameras) are the next step – it's a logical step."

Police in Evesham unveiled their own body camera system in July. They are one of several departments in South Jersey to have adopted the technology.

George Jackson, president of CWA Local 1084, who on Aug. 28 helped lead a rally in Camden in solidarity with the protestors in Ferguson and Michael Brown's family, also spoke in favor of body cameras worn by police at Thursday's press conference.

During the Camden rally last month, Jackson said that while protests and rallies can draw attention to an issue, any change must come through legislation, or else "these things just keep happening."

"Legislation like this is a win-win, especially in urban communities," said Jackson, later adding, "These cameras will help stop the false accusations on both sides."

Later in the day, Camden County Metro Police Chief Scott Thomson released a statement supporting the use of body cameras.

"The future of policing will be rooted in the implementation and use of body cameras in a thoughtful, tactical manner," said Thomson. "We've seen departments nationwide start to opt for these new tools because they are proven to be successful at de-escalating situations between the police and the public.

"By outfitting police officers with this new resource we can ensure accountability with officers and citizens in most situations. Furthermore, our mission as a law enforcement agency is to engage the residents we are sworn to serve and protect by solving problems and only using handcuffs and our gun as a last possible resort."

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Jason Laday may be reached at jladay@southjerseymedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonLaday. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.