Law enforcement officers within the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office (OSCO) will soon be wearing body cameras, thanks to a newly passed resolution.
The Oakland County Board of Commissioners on Thursday night passed a resolution to implement body-worn cameras for OSCO officers. The program was unanimously supported and is expected to “increase the safety of law enforcement officials and residents, and improve interactions between officers and the public,” officials said in a press release.
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“Body-worn cameras bring additional state-of-the-art policing techniques to the sheriff’s office, and they will go a long way in improving trust between officers and the public,” said Commissioner Janet Jackson. “Cameras don’t lie, and through this initiative we’re demonstrating that we care about the safety of everyone in the community, including our residents and deputies. It will truly help ensure justice for all.”
“The public expects us to use body cameras, our communities and officers deserve it, and transparency requires it,” said board chairman David Woodward. “Oakland County supports implementing body-worn cameras, and we’re very enthusiastically moving forward to put this in place as soon as possible.”
The board says the program will include 1,000 body cameras and is estimated to cost $3.1 million for the first five years, which includes the cost of the “equipment, maintenance and operation of the system.” The video and audio recorded on the devices are reportedly “unalterable.”
See the board’s entire press release here.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is the third-largest law enforcement agency in Michigan. More than 1.2 million people live in Oakland County.
Body cameras have been implemented within law enforcement agencies in Michigan and across the U.S. in recent years to help objectively document incidents between officers and the public. Recordings can be, and often are, used as evidence.
Related: Value of police body cameras limited by lack of transparency