DELAWARE – About 100 sheriff’s deputies in Delaware County will start wearing body-cameras.
Sheriff Russell Martin says the body-worn cameras will help hold his department’s personnel accountable, enhance the public’s trust, and aid in investigations, train and safety.
“Every time we put on the uniform, we should be doing our job in the most lawful, respectful, and professional manner possible. And we should want the public to witness that.” Martin said.
Martin’s office has spent the past two years testing products and evaluating vendors and eight deputies have been using the cameras for the last two months in a trial program, he said.
Sheriff’s office officials used that time to determine which product would best fit its needs, drafting a policy for use of the cameras, including striking the right balance between privacy and transparency, he told reporters Monday.
The $150,000 expenditure on the program includes $88,000 the purchase of 100 cameras, docking stations and portable chargers. Additional funds will be used for training and data storage, Martin said.
More cameras will be phased in as deputies are trained in their use, he said.