LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out new body-worn and in-car cameras to improve transparency and enhance deputy training.
Officials say the program will cost about $12 million over the next 10 years, adding that it fits within the department’s budget and will not burden taxpayers.
Leaders say transparency, training, and progress are the main reasons behind adopting the new technology. Deputies will be trained and required to keep both body and car cameras active during interactions such as evictions, suspicious activity responses, traffic stops, and investigative conversations.
“Transparency is more than a promise, it’s a standard we uphold,” JCSO Chief Deputy Steve Healey said.
The department introduced the cameras ahead of Thunder Over Louisville.
The new body cameras include artificial intelligence features, including real-time translation in more than 40 languages.
This capability helps deputies communicate with Jefferson County’s diverse population and improves training opportunities.
“We can actually show a video and pause it and say was this a good decision or was it not a good decision? What can we do better?,” Healey said. “There are so many things that we are going to use these cameras for, like the translation feature is huge. We have such a diverse community throughout Jefferson County. If you cannot have simple conversation that’s where conflict can arise.”
Another key feature is automatic activation. When a deputy draws a weapon or activates lights and sirens, the cameras begin recording even if they are not manually turned on.
About 200 deputies have already been trained on the system, with dozens more still undergoing training. The sheriff’s office said it will continue gathering community feedback and make adjustments as needed.
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