Lake County sheriff's deputies to get body cameras
The Lake County sheriff's office will receive $73,000 in federal funding to purchase body cameras for sheriff's deputies and other sworn personnel, officials announced Tuesday.
The sheriff's office is one of only three Illinois law enforcement agencies to be awarded the funding through the Body Worn Camera Pilot Implementation Program, authorities said. The Chicago Police Department and Elgin Police Department are the others.
"The body cameras will give the sheriff's office the ability to stay at the front of cutting-edge technologies," Undersheriff Raymond Rose said in an announcement of the funding. "Both the public and the sheriff's deputy will benefit from this grant.
"Law enforcement is under tremendous scrutiny in an age where every action taken can be dissected in an instant; this now gives us the ability to both teach and learn, while at the same time enhance mutual trust which is necessary for us to be successful in our mission," Rose said.
The sheriff's office expects to purchase 292 body cameras with the funding, officials said. They will be worn by sworn members of the sheriff's office who interact with the public on a daily basis, including patrol deputies, correctional officers, court security, investigators, members of the marine unit, and the sheriff's Gang Task Force.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced $20 million for a new Body Worn-Camera Pilot Implementation Program in May, as part of a broader effort to expand funding and training through community policing initiatives.
The Lake County sheriff's office was one of 258 applicants, and one of 73 to be awarded the funding.
"We are grateful to Sen. Dick Durbin for his assistance in securing the grant," Sheriff Mark Curran said.
The sheriff's office will be the largest Lake County law enforcement agency to deploy body cameras.