Ramsey County Sheriff's Office rolls out body cameras for deputies
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office will be rolling out body cameras to its deputies.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office is now the third largest law enforcement agency in Minnesota to don body cameras for its officers. The body cameras rolled out Friday afternoon to deputies in the patrol division.
“These cameras are a symbol of trust,” said Sheriff Fletcher in a press conference. “It’s trust in building relationships with our community. It’s no secret that there are those in our community who are not sure that they can trust law enforcement. Well, this helps make that easier.”
Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office adopted a body camera policy similar to the St. Paul Police Department. The cameras are also the same type used by the St. Paul police. Deputies will activate the cameras when they are responding to a call or incident, but will have them off at other times during their 12-hour shifts.
Starting with the patrol division, the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office will be implementing body cameras.
Next month, the body cameras will start being worn by deputies patrolling Ramsey County courtrooms. Sheriff Bob Fletcher is also proposing body cameras for corrections officers in the county jail by the end of the year.
Ramsey County is not the first sheriff’s office to add body cameras. Anoka County started wearing them in March, while both Dakota County and Hennepin County are in the process of adding body cameras.