Expanding the use of body cameras to state game officials, DCNR rangers and Fish and Boat Commission officers and deputies makes a lot of sense.

So much sense, in fact, that it’s hard to believe it wasn’t part of the original 2015 legislation that gave approval for

Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed legislation that will expand the use of body cameras to include state game officials, DCNR rangers and Fish and Boat Commission officers and deputies. Trained officers of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania Game Commission to wear body cameras. Waterways conservation officers of the Fish and Boat Commission and certain officers and game wardens of the Game Commission were able to receive training and wear these devices. At that time, deputies of the agencies were purposefully excluded, a prohibition that remained in state law until late November. The bill also consolidates and modernizes the legal framework governing body camera usage by updating the definition of law enforcement officer under the Wiretap Act, aligning policies across agencies and repealing outdated provisions. These changes ensure the uniform recording and management of body camera footage regardless of the department using the technology.

Use of body cameras provides a layer of protection for the public when they interact with the state officers. And, given the remote areas where some of these state officials are performing their official duties it makes sense to have some sort of record of interactions when the nearest member of the public is often quite a distance away. In many areas radio and cell phone coverage can be poor. And the state officials are sometimes uncovering public safety issues that are beyond the scope of sporting safety, wildlife protection and outdoor recreation. Those are scenes that should be preserved via camera for law enforcement officers.

This is common-sense legislation that we’re glad to see was approved by the legislature and quickly signed into law.