Pinellas Sheriff To Equip All Deputies With Body-Worn Cameras

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — With the unanimous consent of the county commission Tuesday, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office became the final county in Tampa Bay to equip its deputies with body-worn cameras.

At its regular meeting, the commission agreed to pay $3,456,931 to purchase body cams for 875 deputies at $700 each from Axon Industries of Scottsdale, Arizona, the same company used by Pasco and Hillsborough counties and the cities of St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Pinellas Park and Tampa.

By using Axon, said Pinellas Sheriff Gualtieri, the system will have connectivity with surrounding law enforcement agencies.

When the body camera program was proposed earlier this year following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the subsequent racial protests, Gualtieri initially balked. Black activists in the county called for deputies to be equipped with body cameras so interactions between deputies and members of the community could be reviewed.

“I’m not inclined to use them," said Gualtieri at the time. "I don’t think it’s going to solve the problem that people are looking for it to solve."

However, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, who has equipped his deputies with body cameras for years, said he believes the cameras are just as useful in protecting deputies against false accusations.

At the community's urging, in October Gualtieri launched a 30-day trial program, outfitting 30 deputies who have regular contact with the public with body-worn cameras.

At the end of the trial, Gualtieri said he had a complete change of heart.

"It went so well, we decided to leave those body cameras in the field," he said. "I believe the technology has exponentially changed for the better. Body-worn cameras are something that I absolutely endorse and embrace. I am listening to our community that overwhelmingly supports and wants these cameras, and I am committed to making that happen.”

The body-worn cameras are automatically activated when a deputy draws his firearm, turns on his electronic control weapon (Taser) or manually activates the camera.

That way, said Gualtieri, the cameras can be turned off during sensitive interviews with crime victims and won't record the mundane day-to-day routines of deputies.

The body cameras come with a high price tag, however.

Gualtieri noted that the sheriff's office has used dashboard video cameras for 15 years and currently downloads 17,000 dash cam videos a month.

"With the body-worn cameras, it will be significantly more," he said.

He said he will need to hire five new people including a system administrator, records management personnel and staff to process public records requests.

This year's initial contract with Axon will run from March 1 to September. The sheriff's office has negotiated a five-year contract with Axon at a cost of $4.4 million a year.

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• Hillsborough Sheriff Unveils Body Cams To Be Worn By Deputies
• Temple Terrace To Purchase Body Cameras For Police Department
• Body Cameras Considered By St. Petersburg Police: Chief Holloway
• Tampa Police, Sheriff's Office Get Approval For Body Cams