OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Police body and dash cameras are quite common now, and after years of waiting, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office is finally installing the technology.
Ottawa County deputies recently started wearing body cameras back in December. On Thursday, crews were working nonstop to install dash cams. The sheriff says this will provide more transparency for the community.
There is a mountain of kits filled with equipment meant for dash cameras to go into patrol cars inside of the sheriff's garages. An AXON team spent the week installing them into patrol cars.
“It's just one more step in this large, transformative process that we're in part of. So I guess in one word, excitement,” said the sheriff.
Ottawa County set aside around $5 million back in 2021 to equip the sheriff’s office with body and dash cameras.
“It was an idea that the sheriff prior to me, Sheriff Kempker, had, even before he took office. It kept getting put off for budget reasons,” the sheriff said.
Last year, the county gave the green light to use AXON, a company employed by a number of law enforcement agencies around the nation.
Ottawa
Ottawa County to equip deputies with Axon body, dash cameras
“Down the road, this has implications on constantly raising our level of service and becoming more and more professional,” the sheriff explained.
Ottawa County Sheriff Eric DeBoer added that this tool will provide a clear picture of what happens at a scene.
“The camera will either show them what's going on, or hold our deputies accountable. The deputies understand it’ll keep them from having false accusations,” he said.
The sheriff mentioned that they have 150 body cameras and 120 dash cameras.
“We are completely blessed in this community that we have the support of the people of Ottawa County more than you see when you drive around,” he said.
The sheriff’s office hopes to have all these cameras equipped by the end of the month.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
