Sheriff’s Office adding body cameras to its toolkit
NORWICH – The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office is following a nationwide trend of outfitting law enforcement personnel with body cameras in an effort to improve safety for both officers and civilians.
The Sheriff’s Office is in the final stages of an implementation plan for the cameras. Last year, the department purchased 54 body cameras to be used between its corrections and road patrol divisions. According to Sheriff Ernest Cutting, the devices will go a long way in “keeping people honest.”
“It keeps police officers honest, and it keeps the public honest when they see a camera with video and audio relaying everything that’s going on,” Cutting said at a recent meeting of the Chenango County Public Safety and Rules Committee.
Cutting has provided county officials an update on the department’s process of implementing the cameras. The Sheriff’s Office is currently nearing the end of an implementation policy and installing a server to store video footage.
The Sheriff’s Office camera use policy will bar corrections officers from recording an inmate’s cell, shower area, or bathroom. Patrol deputies will have cameras running any time they deal with the public.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, several studies suggest that body-worn cameras are a valuable tool for improving community trust, transparency, and accountability. The bureau cites studies that link the use of body cameras to a decrease in community member complaints against officers. Other studies show that use of force by law enforcement also tends to decline following adoption of body worn cameras.
But at roughly $300 a piece, these cameras are a hefty investment for the Sheriff’s Office. The good news, explained Cutting, is that taxpayers aren’t the ones to bear the expense.
The Sheriff’s Office plans to use money that was acquired through drug seizures, and from collect calls made by inmates to foot the expense.
“We’re actually using money from drug proceeds to buy enough cameras to outfit everyone on road patrol with a camera,” said Cutting. “It’s not tax money.”
Camera systems have always proven to be a valuable asset to the Sheriff’s Office. Cutting cited an incident late last year in which a Tompkins County inmate who was housed at the Chenango County Correction’s facility accused officers of mistreatment. Fortunately, he said, the camera system in the facility recorded the incident and relinquished the department of any wrongdoing.
“The whole incident she was talking about was recorded and showed that she was never mistreated,” Cutting said, adding that body cameras would be of further benefit in similar situations in the future. “We have more than 130 cameras inside and outside the jail, but there are still some places where those cameras don’t get.”
The Sheriff’s Office aims to have body cameras online by the end of the month, making it the first law enforcement agency in the county to have them.
The Sheriff’s Office is in the final stages of an implementation plan for the cameras. Last year, the department purchased 54 body cameras to be used between its corrections and road patrol divisions. According to Sheriff Ernest Cutting, the devices will go a long way in “keeping people honest.”
“It keeps police officers honest, and it keeps the public honest when they see a camera with video and audio relaying everything that’s going on,” Cutting said at a recent meeting of the Chenango County Public Safety and Rules Committee.
Cutting has provided county officials an update on the department’s process of implementing the cameras. The Sheriff’s Office is currently nearing the end of an implementation policy and installing a server to store video footage.
The Sheriff’s Office camera use policy will bar corrections officers from recording an inmate’s cell, shower area, or bathroom. Patrol deputies will have cameras running any time they deal with the public.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, several studies suggest that body-worn cameras are a valuable tool for improving community trust, transparency, and accountability. The bureau cites studies that link the use of body cameras to a decrease in community member complaints against officers. Other studies show that use of force by law enforcement also tends to decline following adoption of body worn cameras.
But at roughly $300 a piece, these cameras are a hefty investment for the Sheriff’s Office. The good news, explained Cutting, is that taxpayers aren’t the ones to bear the expense.
The Sheriff’s Office plans to use money that was acquired through drug seizures, and from collect calls made by inmates to foot the expense.
“We’re actually using money from drug proceeds to buy enough cameras to outfit everyone on road patrol with a camera,” said Cutting. “It’s not tax money.”
Camera systems have always proven to be a valuable asset to the Sheriff’s Office. Cutting cited an incident late last year in which a Tompkins County inmate who was housed at the Chenango County Correction’s facility accused officers of mistreatment. Fortunately, he said, the camera system in the facility recorded the incident and relinquished the department of any wrongdoing.
“The whole incident she was talking about was recorded and showed that she was never mistreated,” Cutting said, adding that body cameras would be of further benefit in similar situations in the future. “We have more than 130 cameras inside and outside the jail, but there are still some places where those cameras don’t get.”
The Sheriff’s Office aims to have body cameras online by the end of the month, making it the first law enforcement agency in the county to have them.
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