Officers with the Sequim Police Department have started wearing body-worn cameras this month as leaders with Clallam County Sheriff’s Office anticipate full deployment with their deputies by Nov. 1.

The two agencies join Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Port Townsend Police Department on the North Olympic Peninsula who implemented cameras in April 2022 and late 2019, respectively.

The Port Angeles Police Department continues to use a pilot program to test cameras, Police Chief Brian Smith told the Peninsula Daily News.

Two impediments for implementation are the public records requests and the cost, he said, adding that the city is waiting to hear whether it will receive a five-year, $250,000 grant for the program.

In Sequim, Police Chief Sheri Crain said they’ve been considering body-worn cameras for several years as both cost and timing have been factors in the delay.

“We wanted to make sure we were using best industry practices,” she said.

Crain said in an interview last year the “cameras will build the most complete picture of what happened” of a crime.

The department has 21 body-worn cameras for officers, and dash cams for each of its vehicles.

Sequim City Council members agreed on Sept. 12, 2022 to a five-year contract with LensLock for $45,000 per year. The city secured a $40,000 Small, Rural, and Tribal Body-Worn Camera grant through the Department of Justice to offset most of the first year’s expenses.

Sequim officers began testing camera vendors in 2021, Crain said, and they chose LensLock for its ease of use and built-in redaction abilities.

A handful of City of Sequim staff have been trained on the software to perform public records requests for videos, Crain said.

City leaders will review the number of video requests next year and assess if more staff are needed to cover requests, she said.

There are 20 commissioned officers now with two more slated to be hired in 2024 to account for anticipated retirements, Sequim Police leaders said, so more equipment will be needed for new staffing.

Sequim activation

For Sequim officers, they’ll secure their cameras with either a clip, magnet, or webbing on the front of their uniforms.

It’ll be up to officers to activate the cameras when they go on calls, and properly label each video by the end of their shift, said Sgt. John Southard.

Dash cams have not gone live just yet, he said, but when they do, they’ll activate automatically on Code 2 calls or higher for emergency situations and activate any system body-worn cameras within about 70 feet.

Officer Devin McBride said he doesn’t notice his camera in his day-to-day activities and it’s easy to activate by pushing a big button on the front.

Southard said they have a grace period to become better accustomed to the cameras and make sure videos are being labeled properly during upload, and everything is working properly.

Sequim Police’s leaders are in process of making sure patrol sergeants are approving officers’ reports, and uploading them to the cloud. Both the city and county will use cloud-based case management systems.

Southard said they’re not reviewing every minute of video unless it’s a call that necessitates it, per the department’s Policy 449 Portable Audio/Video/Image Recorders.

Officers and senior staff all have sheets with instructions on how to perform daily tasks if they need specific reminders.

Crain said various studies on body-worn camera use have shown a reduction in complaints about police interactions.

“People will change behavior because they’re on camera,” she said.

“People have a tendency to mind their Ps and Qs when you tell them they’re being recorded,” Southard said.

Both Sequim Police and Clallam County Sheriff’s deputies will inform citizens they’re being recorded during traffic stops and when feasible during interactions and emergency situations.

Clallam County

Clallam County Sheriff’s Office deputies will use Axon 3 body-worn cameras on a five-year contract with Axon Enterprise for $500,000.

The county will also hire a public records specialist at the cost of about $45,000, according to a county commissioner’s report from May. Residents also will be able to provide digital evidence of their own using a text message or email link sent by a deputy, according to the sheriff’s office.

Clallam County Sheriff Brian King spoke with Clallam County commissioners in May about there being a tough balance between capturing evidence and honoring people’s right to privacy in settings such as schools, hospitals and houses.

Cameras won’t be activated in certain scenarios such as in a school event or during a burglary investigation unless a deputy believes there is a reason to do so, King told the commissioners.

In a press release, the sheriff’s office reported that the cameras will enhance the mission of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office by accurately capturing contacts between members of the department and the public, improve accountability and transparency, and aid in evidence collection and investigations.

Reporter Brian Gawley with the Peninsula Daily News contributed to this report. He can be reached at brian.gawley@peninsuladailynews.com.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim police officer Devin McBride uses a magnet in his uniform to attach his LensLock body-worn camera while on duty. He said he doesn’t even notice it while working, and it’s easy to use.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim Police Department recently implemented using LensLock body-worn cameras, seen here charging.

Photo courtesy Clallam County Sheriff’s Office/ In November, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office deputies will all begin wearing Axon 3 body-worn cameras.