Assemblyman Paul D. Moriarty (D-Camden/Gloucester), lead sponsor of legislation signed into law in 2014 requiring police departments to employ either dashboard cameras or body cameras, issued the following statement Wednesday regarding a Council on Local Mandates ruling that the law is unconstitutional:
“The Council on Local Mandates simply has no authority to declare what constitutes adequate funding for any statute, let alone one that has the potential to be such a monumental step forward for public safety in New Jersey.
“Dashboard and body cameras serve the dual purpose of making it easier for innocent civilians to pursue justice and protecting the vast majority of diligent officers who act in good faith as they serve the public. The value of this law cannot be cast aside simply because of a single claim made by one unauthorized and unqualified entity.
“To achieve our shared goal of advancing the safety of both the general public and New Jersey’s law enforcement officers, it is imperative that the attorney general’s office act to ensure that this ruling is overturned promptly.”