LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — In a press release on Monday morning, Laurel County Sheriff John Root announced that all department deputies will begin wearing body cameras for the first time.
“Keeping our communities safe is a top priority for the Laurel County Sheriff’s office," Sheriff Root said in a press release. “Law enforcement is at its most effective when there is accountability and trust between law enforcement and the community. These cameras promote transparency and confidence in the community we serve and protect. I am confident that our body camera initiative will continue to engender the trust and confidence of Laurel Countians in the sheriff’s office work.”
According to a release, the decision comes after the Laurel County Fiscal Court voted to approve a contract with Motorola for "36 body cameras and associated storage software for $26,800 per year."
“This is a new era. That’s what every police department is moving toward is body cameras to protect everybody,” Judge-Executive David Westerfield said in a press release. “We feel like it was necessary to help the sheriff’s department achieve this goal. This will protect our officers and the public.”
It is unclear when the department will begin wearing them.
