CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – The Clay County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Wednesday it is moving forward with a $7 million plan to issue body-worn cameras to all its deputies over the next five years.
According to CCSO, 50 deputies will be equipped with body-worn cameras by this summer. An additional 100 deputies will be equipped with the cameras the following summer, and another 100 deputies will be equipped by the summer of 2027.
“That phase approach is the sheriff’s, she likes to do things right not fast and she also wants to be fiscally responsible,” CCSO Assistant Chief Chad Ricks said.
After testing different models of body-worn cameras in June 2024, the sheriff’s office picked Axon as the vendor, costing about $1.4 million each year for the next five years.
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Ricks said the use of body-worn cameras is something the sheriff has pushed for since taking office. However, her first priority had to be staffing the agency and keeping deputies.
“Nationally, body-worn cameras is starting to become an industry standard so we had to adopt that technology as part of that growing expectation from the public,” Ricks said.
When the plan was announced last year, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said in a news release the plan shows her commitment to “enhancing transparency, accountability, and safety within law enforcement operations” because body cameras “serve as a crucial tool in promoting trust and confidence in the criminal justice system.”
“I think it’s good. For the simple reason, let me tell you why, then that way that person can say they did this and that person can’t say they did that. So it would be fair around the board. As long as they keep the cameras on don’t turn them off,” Clay County resident Jackie Ruise said.
Ricks said for now, the priority will be getting the cameras on specific deputies.
“This legitimizes law enforcement through transparency,” Ricks said. “Our officers are out there providing a high level of service. Now people are going to get to see that.”
Clay County is the last of the major sheriff’s offices in the area to implement body cameras.