New York City suspends bodycams for corrections officers after device catches fire

New York City's Department of Corrections is temporarily suspending nan usage of bodyworn cameras aft an worker suffered burns and fume inhalation past week erstwhile hers abruptly caught fire.

The Rikers Island corrections officer, a skipper who was not identified, was rushed to Mount Sinai connected Friday erstwhile her bodyworn camera caught fire. The city's Department of Corrections said it was successful interaction pinch nan camera's shaper to analyse nan origin of nan fire.

Corrections Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie said successful a connection that her thoughts were pinch nan injured officer.

"The information of our unit is paramount, which is why I americium removing each body-worn cameras from work retired of an abundance of be aware while we analyse really and why this incident occurred," Maginley-Liddie said.

Though this is simply a first for nan Department of Corrections, it is astatine slightest nan 2nd clip since 2018 that a New York City rule enforcement serviceman has had a bodyworn camera drawback fire.

The NYPD suspended nan usage of nan Vievu exemplary LE-5 body-worn camera successful 2018 aft an serviceman discovered his was smoking. According to NBC New York, nan camera exploded soon aft nan serviceman removed it from his assemblage and nary injuries were reported.

A akin incident occurred pinch nan Axon AB2 exemplary cameras successful 2021, erstwhile an serviceman besides took disconnected nan camera erstwhile it began to smoke. Axon confirmed astatine nan clip it was investigating aft nan instrumentality reportedly overheated, NBC New York reported.

NBC News reached retired to nan shaper of nan instrumentality worn by nan corrections serviceman but nan institution did not instantly return a petition for comment.