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Public Safety

Body Cameras To Be Considered For San Diego Sheriff's Deputies

The door of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department in Kearny Mesa, Dec. 31, 2014.
Tarryn Mento
The door of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department in Kearny Mesa, Dec. 31, 2014.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is scheduled on Tuesday to consider spending more than $1.1 million to outfit sheriff's deputies with body-worn cameras.

An implementation plan for the camera program would roll out next month at sheriff's stations in Alpine and Ramona, according to a county staff report.

The cameras are designed to capture interactions between uniformed officers and the public.

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Law enforcement officials say the cameras provide evidence when members of the public lodge complaints, while their simple presence can defuse tense situations.

They're already used by police in San Diego, Carlsbad, Chula Vista and Escondido, among other local cities.

Implementation across the entire Sheriff's Department could take four to five months, according to the county report.

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