The Frederick County Sheriff's Department does not use body cameras when on duty, including when dealing with conflict and making arrests. This simple lack of equipment endangers the safety of Frederick County Citizens, most importantly people of color. To ensure that no racial violence occurs because of the deputies lacking on-body cameras, it is the responsibility of each Frederick County citizen to ensure that these cameras gain an important spot in the budget for 2022.

The Frederick Police have on-body cameras, and in 2016 when first instated, Lt. Dennis Dudley stated that, "The mere presence of the cameras, which the department's policy requires officers to announce whenever reasonable, will also help officers avoid potentially dangerous confrontations" (Frederick News Post, Jeremy Arias). Not only this, but it was said by then-police chief Ed Hargis that it gave him "confidence that our officers are doing the right thing every day and that the use of these cameras will highlight the level of professionalism that our officers display during our daily interactions with our community” (Frederick News Post, Jeremy Arias). If this works for holding the Frederick City Police Department accountable, who's to say it wouldn't work on the sheriff's department either?

According to the budget office of Frederick County, the proposed amount of full-time employees for the sheriff office (Law Enforcement) for 2021 is 215 with a proposed total budget of $26,036,541. According to policeforum.org, the median cost for body cams with agencies of less than 250 people is $500 for storage (max being $50,000) and $2,900 for the equipment (max being $97,000). Likely, the price may increase from this as new personnel must be hired and storage will be increased.

In the end, no matter the price of on-body cameras, the safety of the community of Frederick County needs to be taken as a priority. Sign this petition to prove to Sheriff Jenkins that this issue is important to the Frederick Community even if he opposes it, and that this is something that should be required of all law enforcement officers on duty.