Sheriff Jay Koon has received approval from the Lexington County Council to use state dollars to start a body camera pilot program.
“I’m thankful to council for supporting our plan. Body cameras are valuable tools that our citizens expect us to have,” Koon said. “They help us be transparent and accountable to those we protect and serve.”
During its Tuesday afternoon meeting, council signed off on the Sheriff’s Department spending $67,500 in state funds to purchase 60 cameras that Koon expects to be in use within a few months. He’s selected a lipstick-sized model that clips onto the collar of a deputy’s duty uniform.
“We’ll place the cameras on deputies across the county to ensure we get as much footage as we can,” Koon said. “We’ll also be ready to make immediate modifications to our policy to address any unforeseen issues that might arise.”
A statewide committee will make a determination about future funding for additional body camera purchases later this year.