WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – The 2021 Marathon County budget, which comes up for a vote on Tuesday, includes $160,000 for body cameras for the sheriff’s department.
Deputy Sheriff Chad Billeb said the body cameras would be cost-neutral because of budget cuts in other areas. According to the budget, the sheriff’s department will see “reductions in costs associated with inmate housing, meals and medical expenses.”
Billeb said body cameras have been in consideration for years, but cost is often an obstacle. He says the biggest reason for the department recommending the technology in the upcoming budget is community relationships.
“The biggest reason to build trust with the community… they hear stories, but to see it actually unfold, there’s value to that,” the Deputy Sheriff said.
Body camera footage will also be used in other cases. Billeb said, “where we pick up evidence for the District Attorney’s office, where we can show them something that happened or record an interview that maybe wouldn’t have been recorded.”
Marathon County District Attorney Theresa Westzsteon is in favor of adding body cameras to the sheriff’s department, and said the footage can be critical in investigating cases.
However, she hopes that along with the approval of body cameras, the Marathon County Board of Supervisors includes additional funding for her office to ensure there are adequate resources to process the additional evidence provided by the cameras.
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