The rollout of body-worn and vehicle cameras for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a key approval last week, as the county council OKed a $5 million contract with a camera company.
During its June 20 meeting, the Clark County Council unanimously approved a five-year contract with Axon Enterprises, Inc. for body-worn cameras, vehicle cameras and updated tasers for sheriff’s deputies and the office’s fleet. The five-year contract is roughly $5.16 million.
The first body cameras could be delivered in four to six weeks from the contract’s signing, Clark County Sheriff’s Chief Administrative Deputy Mike McCabe told the council. The first to receive the cameras will be those who are assigned to patrol, followed by specialty assignments and detective units, then those assigned to administrative positions, a release from the county stated.
The new tasers will be deployed following the body cameras and needed training has been completed, the release stated. The tasers should roll out this fall.
The vehicle camera system features a forward-facing camera that also captures video of the inside of the back seat of the patrol vehicles. Those cameras should begin rolling out in early 2024.
“We believe that with these three systems in place we are going to have a very good picture of what has occurred in the field,” McCabe said at the meeting.
Cameras, both on the vehicle and worn by a deputy, turn on if the vehicle’s emergency lights are activated, if a deputy’s gun is drawn or if their taser is energized, McCabe said.
Deputies will have the option to activate camera systems separately by turning on the vehicle cameras first and then the body camera when they exit the vehicle, he said.
The activation isn’t deputy-specific, McCabe said. If a deputy pulls their firearm, all cameras in the area will activate.
“The technology is truly, truly amazing,” McCabe said. “They’ve come a long way.”
The contract with Axon is similar to what the Vancouver Police Department signed with the company, though it is tailored to the needs of the sheriff’s office, McCabe said. The sheriff’s office started looking into the body camera program four years ago, he said. Between the sheriff’s office and VPD, the agencies looked at four systems, which included Axon’s.
Since Vancouver decided to go with Axon, the sheriff’s office didn’t want to introduce another body camera company that the county prosecutor’s office would have to deal with, McCabe said. Going with Axon also means the contract was already negotiated at the state level, which led to a good price.
“I think, with the package we brought before you, is the best of everything, while still being mindful of our budget,” McCabe said.
Clark County Manager Kathleen Otto said since the contract with Axon was already negotiated at the state level, it didn’t have to go through the usual request for proposal process for the county.
Apart from the equipment, the council also approved the addition of employees to support the new camera program at the sheriff’s office, the county’s information technology department and the prosecuting attorney’s office.
The contract is supported through a 0.1% sales tax increase approved by Clark County citizens last year. Councilor Gary Medvigy thanked the voters for supporting a program that was a long time coming for the county.
“This is not a panacea for the public, but it is a huge step forward for transparency and trust,” Medvigy said.
He hopes other agencies in Clark County who have yet to start their programs will also take on their own implementation.
“This is really necessary. It is modern policing,” Medvigy said. “The level of trust and transparency this will bring is crucial.”
