Patrol officers with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office are now equipped with body-worn cameras after Sheriff Mike Tregre purchased a program to equip, train, provide software, and storage at a total cost of $3.9 million over 5 years.

The cost of purchasing the cameras and storing the video were the main reasons the purchase was not made sooner. Tregre said the cost of constructing a state of the art training center and SWAT house, also were reasons the department could not get cameras sooner.

“With the passing of the ¼ cent sales tax renewal in March, we now are able to outfit officers with the best body cameras available,” Sheriff Tregre said.

In addition to the body cameras to be worn by patrol officers, units also have dashboard cameras.

Officers working in every enforcement capacity will have body cameras for use in the field.

Officers are training through July 2022 in the use of the cameras, software and program management.

“The body cameras allow us to be transparent and accountable in our investigations,” Sheriff Tregre said.

The Sheriff’s Office in May signed the five-year contract with Axon Enterprise of Scottsdale, Ariz., to provide body worn cameras, in-car cameras, software and data storage.