BodyCams Approved for DeKalb Police

DECATUR, GA — DeKalb's commissioners approved the purchase this week of 600 body cameras from a Decatur-based company for county police.

Utility manufactures the BodyWorn wearable body cameras, which the company says is the only policy-based recording system on the market employing customizable, recording triggers that automatically initiate recording.

Police in Decatur, Lilburn, Marietta, Clayton County and the Atlanta Department of Corrections are already using the cameras.

"The purchase of this technology will benefit police officers and the public by providing an added layer of transparency and accountability," said DeKalb County's interim CEO, Lee May. "This is another important investment in community-oriented policing and proof of our commitment to use technology to aid in building trust and mutual respect between law enforcement and those they are sworn to protect."

The BodyWorn software operates on a 4G-LTE smartphone that is embedded into the officer's uniform. The camera always points forward and will not be knocked askew or fall off during a struggle or when the officer is running. Video is encrypted as it is recorded, so it is not vulnerable to tampering, mishandling, or loss, and officers do not have to travel back to the police station hours later to manually upload video by putting the camera into a docking station.

BodyWorn can also live stream video directly to DeKalb County Central Dispatch during emergency situations.

"I am a proud graduate of Southwest DeKalb High School," said Robert McKeeman, CEO of Utility. "No one is more committed to body camera success for DeKalb County than I am."

Image: Utility Inc.