Nesquehoning police department now has body cameras that will be used by officers whenever an incident occurs.

Last week, Councilwoman Lois Kuba reported that the body cameras for the department are up and running.

Police Chief Michael Weaver said that everyone in the department has had training on it and has started using them in its daily operations.

“I think that’s a very big positive thing,” Kuba. “Every one of our officers will have a bodycam on so I think it is a really good step in the right direction for Mike and the whole force.”

Body cameras are important in law enforcement and are vital tools that can be used in cases to show how the incident response was handled.

In other police matters, the department received the order for new guns, holsters and ammunition. The purchase was funded through a donation by a local business.

Kuba said that this donation was important because it provides police with updated equipment and protection.

Weaver said that the ammunition the department had has already been sold to another police department in the county.

Council also asked Weaver to provide an explanation on recent Carbon County Drug Task Force activity. Nesquehoning police had two arrests made in Lansford and Tamaqua as part of that task force.

Kathy Henderson of Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corp. said that the task force was doing good work.

Weaver wanted to clear up some confusion regarding why Nesquehoning was filing charges in an arrest made in other towns.

“We operate through the Carbon County Drug Task Force, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General,” he said. “How it works is that we go out on our own free time and conduct drug investigations. That’s 100% reimbursable through the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. There is no cost to any borough anywhere in Carbon County, which gives us full authorization to go to any other towns and conduct drug investigations.

“As you can see, individuals we deal with in Nesquehoning, they get their drugs in Lehighton, Slatington, Lansford, Tamaqua, Coaldale. It all runs hand-in-hand so I know people get confused when they see a Nesquehoning press release for a Tamaqua or Lehighton case but the communities throughout the task force work together.”