Solution sought to sheriff's office body cam, in-car video dilemma

The Coryell County Commissioners Court is scheduled to discuss ways to fund a nearly $370,000 request from the Coryell County Sheriff's Office to purchase body cameras and in-car video systems to replace ones which have become obsolete.

Representatives of the sheriff's department talked to the commissioners court on April 25.

"We are having severe technical difficulties," Patrol Lt. Conrad Scott with the sheriff's department said. "The company (that sold the equipment to the county years ago) is no longer supporting us on the technical side. We're in a bind at this point. About half the in-car cameras and body cameras are down."

He said the sheriff's office "received a quote from a company which has been in business for about 35 years (to help resolve the problem). We are required by law to have the cameras."

Sgt. Chad Summers with the sheriff's department said "we can't get parts (for the current outdated cameras) and we need to get something. Thirty in-car video systems will help us a lot more. They are (internet) cloud-based which will make it easier to share with the district attorney and county attorney.

"We have reached out to a lot of companies; we're just not getting anything back. We're tried five or six different companies and we're not having any luck with people wanting to come down and talk to us."

County Judge Roger Miller said, "A couple things come to the forefront of my mind. I believe we have to go through a formal bid process. It also looks like this (cost) does not include installation."

Summers said the company that sells the cameras to the sheriff's office will train him how to install the cameras.

"Also, there is an annual subscription charge," Miller said.

"When you go to cloud-based it does require an annual subscription," Summer said.

"We will need a little time to get a grasp on the funding side of this - it's a pretty good chunk of money, and $49,310 per year for cloud-based," Miller said.

Sheriff Scott Williams reminded county leaders of the urgency of the situation.

"This isn't a might do it - we have to do it," he said. "It's the law, just to let the court know the urgency. It's a mandate, not a suggestion."