New York City Department of Corrections prison guards will stop wearing body cameras after one of the devices caught fire.
The department has over 3,000 cameras that are used by all uniformed staff.
The incident took place on Friday, and the officer wearing the device had to be treated for burns and smoke inhalation.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire. It is expected to last two weeks.
“Our thoughts are with our Captain who was injured in this incident,” Corrections Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie said in a statement to The Hill. “The safety of our staff is paramount, which is why I am removing all body-worn cameras from service out of an abundance of caution while we investigate how and why this incident occurred.”
Patrick Ferraiuolo, president of the Correction Captains’ Association, told the New York Post that it is unclear what started the fire but noted that some of the devices contain lithium batteries.
“They’re going to pull them,” Ferraiuolo said. “They’re not going to be returned to staff until we’re sure they’re OK.”
The cameras are similar to those worn by the New York City Police Department, but they are not the exact same make or model. It is unclear what manufacturer produced the ones being used by the DOC.
Corrections Officers’ Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio said the cameras were pulled at his request.
“The DOC will temporarily be taking all [body worn camera’s] offline in order to conduct a safety review of the devices until further notice,” Boscio said in an email to union members.
The Post reports:In 2018, The New York Police Department removed about 3,000 body cameras from its officers after one of the devices worn by a Staten Island cop exploded into flames.
The department was in the early stages of outfitting its 23,000 officers with the cameras. They now all have them.
The NYPD yanked another 2,000 police body cameras in 2021 after one of the devices exploded and caught fire in Manhattan.
