San Clemente Deputies Receive Body Cameras Monday

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — All San Clemente deputies will start patrolling the community with an added tool starting Monday. The Orange County Sheriff's Department announced the use of body-worn cameras on San Clemente deputies Monday afternoon, which is the latest phase in a program designed to issue all patrol personnel body-worn cameras by the end of next year.

This will deem San Clemente as the first south patrol city to incorporate body-worn cameras, the OCSD reported. The OC Register reported in October that Yorba Linda OCSD deputies were among the first in the department to receive body-worn cameras.

"We look forward to the added level of transparency body-worn cameras provide and the opportunity to share additional insight into our patrol operations," An OCSD Spokesperson wrote on Facebook.

Along with body-worn cameras, OC Sheriff patrol units will also receive an upgrade to their in-car camera systems, which will now record in high definition.

The $12.7 million body-worn camera program was approved by the county's Board of Supervisors in July, the OC Register reported. The funding for the program is spread out over five years.