Deputy body cam batteries were dying during shifts. Thurston’s sheriff has a $5M plan
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said the county has voted to invest in new equipment for his department.
The county commission voted unanimously to secure a contract with a business called Axon that will cost $4.9 million over 10 years, he wrote in a social media post over the weekend. The contract includes 100 body cameras, 100 dash cameras, 100 Tasers and a digital evidence management system, according to his post.
Sanders said the investment is necessary because the department’s previous equipment did not work well, noting that cameras were failing to operate during calls and body camera batteries were dying less than halfway through an 11-hour shift.
Sanders added that the sheriff’s office had saved $1.4 million in an original camera replacement program to help offset the costs of the upgrade.
“Equipping our staff with the best equipment has been one of my top priorities, as it has a major impact on the outcome of both day-to-day operations and critical incidents,” Sanders said in his post. “Deputies need to know their equipment will function as expected, and our support staff need a competent system to ensure digital evidence is making its way through the system efficiently.”
This story was originally published January 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM.
