VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office is looking for public input on its new body-worn camera policy.
Comments can be submitted to webmaster@vbso.net and will be collected until 5 p.m. on Monday, April 24.
The Virginia Beach City Council approved allocating more than $640,000 from the city’s general fund to provide body-worn cameras for sheriff’s deputies ahead of schedule.
It said the sheriff’s office is beginning to equip deputies with body-worn cameras ahead of the busy summer tourism season and upcoming events, including the Something in the Water festival. It noted that deputies serve “as force multipliers” for the Virginia Beach Police Department.
State law requires law enforcement agencies to establish a body-worn camera policy before using them and allow the public to comment on and review the policy.
Council authorized initial funding for 220 cameras for the sheriff’s office, and money for 280 more cameras July 1, which will be enough for each of its 400 sworn deputies.
The sheriff’s office said it requested the body-worn cameras to improve safety and accountability for both the public and its deputies.