Starting today, about 130 deputies with the Macomb Co. Sheriff's Office are using body cameras as part of their official duty uniform.
"Transparency is what we're all about here, we have nothing to hide,” said Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham.
He explains it took two years to get their new program operating. They researched, went out for bids, created a procedure and policy and finally ordered the 200 body cameras.
"Everybody knows in law enforcement know matter where you go, you've always got to feel like there's a camera there. So now we have our own cameras to capture our own events."
The small wireless device is meant to hold everyone accountable, said Wickersham, both the deputies who wear them and the public.
The sheriff says they will also help make the department more efficient.
"We're going to cut down on what I believe are frivolous and unfounded type of complaints of citizen and deputy encounters."
The cameras turn on quickly with the press of a button, or simply by turning on the lights and sirens inside patrol cars.
"If they're in a high speed pursuit where they're chasing somebody and they forget to hit the button -- as long as the lights are on, the camera is already activated."
At $220,000 for the equipment, the sheriff says this is where law enforcement is headed, using more and more technology in the field.
Each one of the body cams can hold several hours worth of footage. It is now the job of the deputies to upload their daily footage to a server, where it is saved for up to 90 days.
If video is needed for a case, it’s saved permanently as evidence.
