POUGHKEEPSIE – Members of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) will be deploying a new tool on Saturday, March 18th. Sheriff Kirk Imperati announced that body-worn cameras (BWCs) will be in use with his deputies as part of former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order 203, which calls for, among other things, transparency in the law enforcement community. Transparency is an integral part of the DCSO Police Reform and Modernization Plan.
On Thursday, members of the DCSO were introduced to the Axon 3 BWC, which is one of the most used and recognized BWC programs in the country. All sworn officers were equipped with the cameras and necessary mounting hardware and briefed on the operation of the hardware and software associated with the BWCs. There were three sessions held on Thursday to accommodate all of the employees.
Speaking to one session, Sheriff Imperati said “This program is designed to help everyone. You are the best of the best,” he told his deputies, adding “You don’t have anything to worry about and, therefore, I don’t have anything to worry about.”
Imperati told Mid-Hudson News that his agency, due to accreditation, is held to a higher standard and the BWC program is one more way for his office to rise above the standard. “It’s about transparency, it’s about being better, about serving our community, protecting our residents, and protecting the men and women of law enforcement.”
Video of Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati discussing the benefits of the BWC program: