Jeff Mann, DeKalb County Sheriff

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has become the latest local law enforcement agency to use body cameras.

According to a press release, the office spent $298,000 using confiscated funds to buy 60 “point-of-view” cameras for its deputies from Taser International, which has a five-year contract with the county.

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“Body cameras are increasingly necessary tools of the trade,” Sheriff Jeffrey Mann said in a press release. “They collect evidence for the prosecution of those who violate the law, provide protection to deputies and citizens, and provide a higher level of transparency and accountability to the public.”

The DeKalb  County Sheriff’s Office joins the city of Decatur, which last year hired a local company, Utility Associates, to provide cameras for its police officers. Avondale Estates has also been exploring the possibility of equipping its officers with body cameras.

A lawsuit filed by Utility Associates has stalled the roll out of the Atlanta Police Department’s body camera program.

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