The Clark County Sheriff’s Office’s program to equip its deputies with body-worn cameras is set to have its first patrols start with the equipment Nov. 8.
While presenting to the Clark County Council late last month, Sheriff John Horch mentioned that “other than some very minor glitches,” the body camera program was coming along well. That week, the Sheriff’s Office staff who will teach the majority of the remaining employees trained with Axon, the vendor of the cameras, Sgt. Chris Skidmore said in an email.
The first training for actual patrols begins Nov. 7, Skidmore said, with those trained deputies hitting the patrols with the cameras the following day. Training will begin with small groups.
“Getting patrol equipped is the priority, followed by detectives and other specialty units, and then administrators and any remaining personnel,” Skidmore said in the email.
The department’s contract with Axon includes more than just the cameras. Skidmore said the department will begin deputy training with new tasers starting Oct. 23.
Next year, the sheriff’s office will roll out cameras for its vehicle fleet. Skidmore said the department expects those systems will be delivered in February, with about 100 cars to receive the cameras.
While the cameras and tasers are already budgeted for, the Sheriff’s Office also received approval for two new positions that the department says will provide quicker, smoother implementation of the camera program.
The Clark County Council unanimously approved the request for a communications manager and digital forensic specialist position during its Sept. 26 meeting. The positions will support the camera program, which has been in the works since the start of the year following approval of a 0.1% public safety sales tax last year.
Looking at cases around the country, Horch said it was important for the county’s program to release footage of high-profile incidents quickly, while also presenting the correct messaging, as well.
“You can put out the footage, but if you don’t have the correct messaging and you’re talking with the public about what’s happening there, it can be a problem,” Horch said.
The communications manager position goes above what typically occurs during a critical incident, where a sheriff’s deputy or sergeant serves as a public information officer when needed, a staff report presented to the council stated. Having that dedicated position frees up that deputy to work the scene.
When the position isn’t involved with body camera personnel or related work, the communications manager will manage the office’s community outreach, social media and “targeted community connections,” the staff report stated.
The digital forensic specialist is more directly tied to the body camera program. Clark County Sheriff’s Commander Todd Barsness described the specialist as “both a proactive and reactive” position, involved with production of body camera footage for the public and in reviewing the program’s operations to find where improvements can be made.
The specialist will draw from emergency radio traffic alongside camera recordings to give greater context to incidents, the staff report stated. The position will work with the communications manager “to provide the public that information on a timely basis that the public deserves to have,” Barsness said.
“It’s the only way to ensure the public, media and internal stakeholders receive all of the information we need to present, rather than relying … on the interpretation of raw video, absent context, by the news media or others,” the staff report stated.
The positions were earmarked to be funded from the public safety sales tax a few months ago, Horch said. The positions will cost about $229,000 in 2024, the first full year they would be operational, according to a budget impact statement.
The council lauded the Sheriff’s Office in the implementation of the camera program as a whole.
Councilor Sue Marshall appreciated the department taking cues from other jurisdictions who have gone through the process before.
“I think that it’s a lot more complicated than the general public may be aware of,” Marshall said.
Councilor Gary Medvigy noted the program has been multiple years in the making. He said it was “heartening” to see the program finally approaching implementation.
“I look forward to every deputy out on the street having one [camera],” Medvigy said.
