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All Pittsburgh officers to have body cams next year

Currently, 147 of the department’s approximately 900 officers wear cameras

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In this Dec. 11, 2014, file photo, a Philadelphia Police officer demonstrates a body-worn camera being used as part of a Philadelphia Police pilot project in the department’s 22nd District, in Philadelphia.

AP Photo/Matt Rourke File

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police could roll out hundreds more body cameras this year as part of plan to equip every officer by the end of next year.

Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said Tuesday that the city has 150 more cameras ready to go as soon as officers are trained to use them. They plan to get 250 more in the fall.

Currently, 147 of the department’s approximately 900 officers wear cameras.

Hissrich said they have been careful not to move too aggressively in deploying cameras, wary of running afoul of a state surveillance law. On Tuesday, the state Senate approved a bill that clarifies that officers can record video inside private homes.

The bill gives police broad discretion in releasing or withholding video.