New Hampshire Lawmaker's Traffic Stop Raises Body Camera Debate

A New Hampshire Democratic lawmaker, State Rep. Ellen Read, was involved in a traffic stop where she was allegedly recorded driving at 107 mph. This incident has reignited discussions regarding the absence of body cameras and dashboard cameras in the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office, which lacks funding for such equipment. Read is contesting charges related to the traffic stops, asserting that they violate a provision of the New Hampshire Constitution that protects lawmakers while performing legislative duties. Major Christopher Bashaw of the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office stated that the agency does not use body cameras due to budget constraints but expressed a desire to acquire them. New Hampshire established a Body-Worn and Dashboard Camera Fund in 2021 to assist local law enforcement agencies in purchasing these devices. Read has indicated her support for funding body cameras and expressed willingness to collaborate with the sheriff's office to secure funding in the next state budget. Legal experts suggest that the constitutional provision in question does not grant lawmakers immunity from traffic violations. The New Hampshire Supreme Court has yet to rule on Read's constitutional challenge, and the sheriff's office maintains that the provision is not intended to shield lawmakers from accountability for dangerous driving.