San Benito County Sheriff’s to implement body-worn cameras

The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office announced that it’s deputies will soon be wearing body cameras in the field and in jail.

According to Cpt. Eric Taylor, the public can expect to see the cameras on patrol deputies starting this week.

“These measures will ensure we continue to provide quality service and professionalism to all those we serve. Across the nation, BWC’s have proven time and time again to reduce complaints and provide extremely beneficial evidence for prosecution and case management,” said Cpt. Taylor.

The Sheriff’s Office believes having the body cameras in the jail will make it a safer environment.

“Statistics have shown an inmate is likely to be less violent when the Correctional Deputy is wearing a body-worn camera,” Cpt. Taylor said.

Aside from getting body cameras, the jail has also upgraded their current security camera system by going from analog to digital, and added 22 cameras in and around the jail.

The new body cameras will not replace dash cameras, but instead extend recording capabilities away from patrol cars.

“The big word is transparency out there, and obviously we believe in what we do here at the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office to put cameras on our deputies because we do believe in what they’re doing out there. So its just the next step, another tool for our correctional deputies, for our patrol deputies…just another tool for them to use while they’re working,” added Captain Tony Lamonica with the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.

The department purchased around 65 body cameras, costing the office about 70-thousand dollars. It’s something they say they had been researching for six to eight months.