CLARK COUNTY, Wash — On Thursday, the Clark County Sheriff's Office announced that deputies and commissioned personnel will begin to wear body cameras, after the city council's unanimous approval two years ago.
The announcement comes after a month-long test trial of the body cameras back in April.
"It's super easy to use," said Deputy Chris Fisk, one of the trial participants, told KGW in April. "You just double tap it and it turns on and you don't need to worry about it. It vibrates and you can have a sound emit if you want to, so you know it's on and working."
The Clark County Council authorized the five-year contract with Axon Enterprises. The corporation will provide the department not only body cameras but also include vehicle cameras and updated Tasers.
"We are pleased to announce that this week, the first training classes for the [body cameras] were held, and we now have 32 deputies wearing [body cameras] during their daily assignments," said CCSO in a press release.
RELATED: Several deputies with Clark County Sheriff's Office wearing body cameras as part of month-long trial
The sheriff's office says that more trainings will continue, and by the end of 2023, "nearly all commissioned personnel" will have the body cameras. Once the body cameras and new Tasers are in place, vehicle-mounted and interview room cameras will be set up.
"We anticipate both new features will be implemented by Spring 2024," said CCSO. "These new technologies will enable us to deliver better service, increase trust, and provide greater transparency to our community."