MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — The McLennan County Sheriff's Office received body cameras from the Body-Worn Camera Grant through the governor's office. The 45 cameras were deployed last week.
- In the future, the sheriff's office plans to provide body cameras at the jail, courthouse and within the criminal investigation division.
- Before the addition of these body cams, deputies had dashboard cameras, cameras inside vehicles and audio recorders on officers.
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"We're looking forward to it," McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara said.
"I think it's going to be a good thing."
After nearly two years of work, the McLennan County Sheriff's Office received body cameras from the Body-Worn Camera Grant through the governor's office.
"We now have 45 and those are issued to our patrol deputies and our mental health uh deputies," he said.
The grant provided nearly $60,000, with the county adding a $20,000 match.
The 45 cameras will be issued to around half of the enforcement division, but this is just the first phase.
Sheriff Parnell McNamara tells 25 News that in the future, he plans to provide body cameras at the jail, courthouse and within the criminal investigation division.
"We want our community to know that we want to be transparent we want them to feel comfortable that the information that we're putting out is correct," he said.
"I think the body cams are a good thing in that regard and I think the public will be very receptive to us getting these cameras."
The body cameras were handed out last week, and are already in use.
"They're going to help in a lot of ways in investigations," he said.
"Going in a house that maybe a crime has been committed and those body cams will video things that maybe you don't see right up front with a naked eye."
Before the addition of these body cams, deputies had dashboard cameras, cameras inside vehicles and audio recorders on officers, but Sheriff McNamara says the cams provide another layer of transparency.
