GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — Body cameras are coming to deputies with the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
CCSO will begin the testing and evaluation of the cameras with an evaluation phase followed by implementation. The agency will test offering from potential vendors and "identify the most cost efficient and beneficial option" a press release said.
Sheriff Michelle Cook called the technology a crucial tool "enhancing transparency, accountability and safety.
"Our decision to implement body-worn cameras underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering transparency, accountability, and safety within our communities, while also increasing the safety of our deputies," Sheriff Michelle Cook said. "We recognize that this represents a significant investment of capital, and thus, we are taking a deliberate and systematic approach to ensure that we select the most effective solution for our agency and our community. We are currently pursuing grants to offset some of the costs associated with a body-worn camera program.”
The agency estimates to fit all 350 deputies at current staffing levels, $1.4 million for the first-year implementation costs and $1,355100 the next four years. A handful of deputies will trial the cameras before full implementation.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office implemented body cameras in 2018. The Nassau County Sheriff's Office implemented body cameras in 2022.