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Technology is enhancing law enforcement

Webster County Sheriff’s Department has deployed body cameras

Local law enforcement agencies have done an excellent job of building public confidence that the difficult work officers undertake is handled with a strong commitment to professionalism.

Even so, situations can arise where people who have had interactions with officers claim that they were treated improperly. In many places across the nation, body video cameras are being worn by police officers, sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement personnel so when misconduct is charged there is a record of the incident that can be reviewed by supervisors and in some cases presented in court.

Here in Webster County, the Sheriff’s Department added in January body cameras to be worn by deputies to the video cameras that had already been in use on its vehicles.

“By our policy, they are on the majority of the time, except for when our policy dictates as far as victims or something like that of a crime that does not need to be videoed,” Webster County Jim Stubbs told The Messenger. “Otherwise, they’re on for most all other interactions with the public.”

The cameras record high-definition video and have a microphone attached to them, which captures audio.

“I feel time will show the benefit of them, just as time has shown the benefit of in-car video,” Stubbs said. “I think it’ll help with the interaction of the public and help with prosecution of cases.”

The Messenger strongly agrees. We applaud the decision to use body cameras. This technological enhancement should contribute to strengthening the already very positive reputation of the Webster County Sheriff’s Department. Measures that increase transparency in government are very much in the public interest.

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