Officials discuss body cameras for MC deputies

by Larry Chowning –

Body-worn and automobile dash cameras for Middlesex County deputies were the topic of concern at the Middlesex County Board of Supervisors (MCBS) July regular monthly meeting.

During the public comment period, Robert Jackson of Urbanna stated he wanted the sheriff’s office to purchase body cameras. He noted that Middlesex was one of just a few rural counties in the state of Virginia that do not use body cameras.

Jackson stated that he has not heard a great deal of discussion of late concerning the renovation of the former Lewis B. Puller Vocational Center building at Cooks Corner into a new sheriff’s office and even less concerning the purchase of body cameras.

Saluda District representative Don Harris asked the sheriff if counties around Middlesex currently had body-worn and dash cameras. The sheriff said that there are 18 counties in the state of Virginia where county deputies do not use body cameras and Middlesex is one.

(Virginia has 95 counties and 38 independent cities, so Middlesex is among the roughly one fifth of Virginia counties that lack body cameras.)

Sheriff Bushey explained to the board that he presently has nowhere to store cameras and his department is not eligible for state grant funds to purchase cameras until a new sheriff’s office building is completed.

“We want body cameras more than anyone else,” said Bushey. “But, we need to be accredited and when we are we can get grant funding to buy them. We need to wait until then so the cameras won’t cost taxpayers out of the county’s budget.”