VESTAL, NY (WSKG) - This week, Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies began wearing body cameras.
“In these days and times with a lot of negative attention being drawn toward the law enforcement community, the body camera really produces an unbiased witness to any type of incident one of my deputies may encounter,” said Sheriff Craig Dumond. He adds the cameras also offer proof for a person making a complaint against a deputy.
According to Dumond, body cam footage isn't subject to a Freedom of Information Act request because it's part of a personnel record. Still, he says it could be released by legal means. Even so, he notes, he'd be open to releasing footage that sheds light on allegations against his deputies.
"I look at it as a win-win for everybody all the way around in the interest of transparency in our operations," he added.
Right now the cameras are worn by the Sheriff’s Deputies, but Dumond hopes to expand the program, so corrections officers wear them too.