Several law enforcement agencies in the St. Croix Valley plan to begin using body-worn cameras for the first time next year, and they want the public’s input on the policies that govern use of the devices.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office as well as the Bayport and Stillwater police departments are all scheduled to begin using body cameras next year. Oak Park Heights police began wearing them this year.broadstreet.zone(48036);
According to Cmdr. Andrew Ellickson, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office has been considering the purchase of body cameras for a few years.
“Since they started becoming readily available, they’ve interested the sheriff,” Ellickson said.
A couple of factors held the county back from the purchase, he said, including the lack of direction from the state on retaining and releasing recordings, as well as the desire to have an all-in-one technology solution that was more than a camera.
Last session, the Minnesota Legislature approved a bill governing
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