DELHI _ The Delaware County Sheriff's Department will use $44,600 in state grants to equip patrol cars with digital video cameras, Sheriff Thomas Mills said Wednesday.
"I am pleased to announce our acceptance of a grant for $19,600, from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, under the guidelines of the state Homeland Security program as well as a $25,000 grant sanctioned by Senator John Bonacic in the state budget," Mills said.
Mills said he hopes to have the cameras installed and operational in about a month. He said there are eight or nine cars to be equipped.
"We are waiting so the computers and the cameras can be installed at the same time to save money," Mills said.
The computers will be used to run data, write accident reports and issue traffic tickets, Mills said.
The cameras are being installed to strengthen officer safety and bolster public trust, Mills said.
A small camera is mounted beside the rearview mirror. Although the camera can be manually turned on, it activates automatically when the lights and siren are engaged.
The officer is equipped with a microphone and a remote control unit that will engage the camera if he or she is outside the vehicle. A monitor inside the car allows the officer to see what is being recorded and provides an option to zoom in or out to better focus on a face or license plate.
While following another car, the GPS system can also be directed to mark any area identified as the location at which a weapon or other item was tossed by a fleeing suspect.
Mills said statistics show that many court cases are either shortened or dispensed with entirely when a recording of the event is available for review.
Data also indicate that police officials are exonerated from allegations of rudeness or abusive behavior complaints 96.2 percent of the time when there is evidence available to substantiate their account of what really transpired, Mills said.
"It does cool situations off," Mills said. "It can make a ton of difference."
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Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.
