After nearly two years of research, purchasing, policy implementation & training, Sheriff Michael A. Helmig is proud to announce the roll out of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department Body Worn Camera project. “While it took a little longer than I originally anticipated, the buy-in from the deputies’ and public’s perception over the past couple of months reaffirmed by belief that it was time to do this”, Helmig said. “It seems the only people objecting to it are the ones violating the law.”

 

Our search started with finding the right product with the appropriate technical support. The review team evaluated a number of vendors/cameras narrowing the decision to the few that best recorded what the deputy was actually able to discern. In other words, we steered away from a wide angle (greater than 120˚) or a light gathering lens that will provide a more complete (albeit adulterated) view than what the deputy can observe with his/her naked eye. Our reasoning behind this decision is to put the viewer in the deputy’s shoes as they watch the video. We opted for the Wolfcom Vision Body Camera (www.wolfcomusa.com), the world's smallest, lightest, secure, and most versatile law enforcement body camera in the market today.

 

The review team then delved into developing the policy & procedure and the record retention schedules required for the administration of the program. In essence, deputies will record all public interactions. Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule but for the most part, if you come in contact with a Boone County Sheriff’s uniformed deputy, the encounter will be recorded. Afterwards the deputy will “tag” the video indicating the type of law enforcement response it falls under and whether it is evidentiary or non-evidentiary. Those factors determine how long the video is maintained.

 

Before a video can be released to the public it has to be reviewed to determine if there are privacy issues involved and how to redact (remove or blur) those portions and also mute any audio for the same type concerns. We are currently in the process of purchasing computer equipment capable of running specialized software and reviewing those particular software solutions available that fit our needs.

 

“This has been quite an undertaking for my staff”, Helmig said. “But one that has been well-worth the time and effort. We have always worked to sustain an open, transparent relationship with our customers and this is simply one more step in that direction.”

 

I put this in CI only because Body Cams are evolving and therefore controversial at times.

 

I do like what I read from the Sheriff of Boone County.

 

Anyone?

I'm in the camp that all law enforcement officers should have them.

 

Sounds like the sheriff did his research.

I would be interested in hearing what police officers who have already used them think. I would 99% of the time it protects officers and provides evidence for the prosecution, which is good.

 

On the downside, knowing everything is being filmed, would it make officers second guess themselves, hesitate to use lethal force possibly endanger them and those around them? Don't know, just throwing that out there.

One of the biggest problems with them is when in the heat of the moment they fail to turn it on and then something happens. Then everyone comes out of the woodwork saying they intentionally left them off because they wanted to do something they shouldn't do. In most cases it does become second nature to flip them on when arriving at a call, but how many times is the :poop: hitting the fan as they pull up. The last thing they are thinking is to turn their Body Cam on.

 

Body Cams are a great tool, just don't lose your mind if they don't always catch what happened.

While most of the time it helps the officer, it will and can help the citizen. It's a shame Boone county didn't have them years ago. I know it's a money thing but I believe all police Dept should have them and dash cams. It is a shame that it has to be this way though.