WCSO 2021 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 9
BODY WORN CAMERAS
OUTFITTING ALL PATROL DEPUTIES
Body worn cameras (BWC) are an effective law
enforcement tool that can enhance the understanding of
interactions between police and the public. Body worn
cameras provide additional documentation of police and
community encounters and can be an important tool for
collecting evidence and maintaining public trust.
Elmer Dickens, Senior Assistant County Counsel (retired)
shares, “If body camera footage shows deputies acted
appropriately, there is immense value to show we did the
right thing. If it shows a deputy acted inappropriately,
there is a huge value for holding deputies accountable
and honoring our core values. Either way, there’s
organizational learning and improvement.”
During budget hearings in May of 2020, the Washington
County Board of Commissioners (BCC) heard from Sheriff
Garrett and community members about the benefits,
costs, and concerns related to expanding WCSO’s BWC
program. The BCC ultimately approved the decision to
fund the program, and Sheriff’s Office staff negotiated
a five-year contract with Utility for a camera deployment
to all patrol and civil deputies and corporals. Utility
provided a competitive contract and is the only BWC
system endorsed by the NAACP.
In 2021, BWCs were deployed to all 180 patrol deputies
and 6 civil deputies. The deployment included new
uniforms or alterations to uniforms to accommodate the
cameras; assignment of camera units and associated gear;
training for camera use; and legal and policy compliance.
WCSO added additional staff and support services for
storing videos and managing records requests to further
support the program. All patrol vehicles were installed
with necessary support hardware to meet the stated
goals of the original proposal.
BWC videos have already proven valuable, honoring
transparency and accountability to our community,
and enhancing training. In addition, the videos
provide important evidence in court proceedings. For
more on BWC, please visit our Accountability Page at
bit.ly/WCSO_Accountability.
Advantages of a Body Worn Camera Program
• Accountability; the accurate depiction of
events, where the camera is oriented, supports
being responsible for one’s actions and
organizational change.
• Transparency; video available as governed by
state statute.
• Safety; Agency experience – the knowledge of
being video and audio recorded can be a positive
influence on behaviors.
• Risk Management; video/audio record can have
significant liability protections for the county,
reducing taxpayer costs.
• Training; provides an evaluation of interactions for
individual and agency professional development.
• Evidence; improves evidence gathering to show
culpability or innocence.
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