Clay County Sheriff's Office to test and implement body cameras

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – Body cameras are coming to Clay County Sheriff's Office deputies.

CCSO will begin testing and evaluating the cameras with an evaluation phase followed by implementation. The agency will test offers from potential suppliers and “identify the most cost-effective and beneficial option,” a press release states.

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,” said Sheriff Michelle Cook . “We recognize that this represents a significant capital investment and so 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 seeking grants to offset some of the costs associated with a body-worn camera program.

The agency estimates that, with current staffing levels, for all 350 deputies, $1.4 million for the first year's implementation costs and $1,355,100 for the next four years. A handful of MPs will test the cameras before full implementation.