Body cameras approved for El Paso County Sheriff’s Office

El Paso County Commissioners made it official Tuesday: they approved spending $303,000 to buy 150 body cameras for patrol deputies.

The cameras will be similar to those currently used by the Colorado Springs Police Department. CSPD received 500 cameras last September and is gradually distributing them to patrol officers below the rank of lieutenant.

Three commissioners voted unanimously to acquire the cameras; two commissioners were absent from the meeting. The county also will pay $100,000 annually for the maintenance and operation of the cameras.

Utility Associates, Inc., a company based in the Atlanta area, is the camera provider for both local departments.

Body cameras have raised concern for many law enforcement agencies, locally and across the country, because of questions regarding limited video storage space and access to video.

“It’s kind of a controversial issue that we always need to revisit,” said Commissioner Peggy Littleton. “I don’t know if we know all the details we should at this point. But I’m happy we purchased the cameras.”

Brad Shannon, a bureau chief with the Sheriff’s Office, said the office hopes to avoid CSPD’s challenges with the cameras after watching police gradually roll out the cameras.

“This particular camera has a lot more technology associated with it,” he said. “But I think the system is coming together very well.”

Shannon is overseeing the set up of the Sheriff’s Office cameras.

The cameras are able to begin recording automatically, in case officers forget to start recording themselves. For example, cameras can record when an officer is running after a suspect, getting out of a patrol car or falling down when injured.

Shannon said cameras also can be remotely activated to stream video to other locations during active situations.

Regarding storage space, he said the system uses a web-based server providing unlimited storage.

“But not all 150 cameras will be issued to every deputy on every shift,” Shannon said. “They’ll only be turned on during contact with the public or suspects. Most videos will be deleted after 45 days and only four supervisors will have access to the video after it’s recorded. We’ll keep that tightly enforced.”

Shannon says each deputy will have access to his/her own video during a shift but not to the video of other deputies.

“In misdemeanor cases, we’ll keep video for up to 18 months, and up to three years in felony cases,” he said. “If a citizen asks to see video in cases involving them, they can contact our internal affairs division. The district attorney’s office helped us determine these standards.”

Shannon said the Sheriff’s Office plans to begin training and using the cameras this summer.

CSPD said it will update the status of its camera system later this month and hopes to have all 500 cameras in the field this spring.

Fountain police has had around 50 cameras and has used them for several years.

“We still have glitches,” said Sgt. Scott Gilbertson. “But it’s beneficial in the long run.”