Commissioners approve grant process for body cameras
Captain Timothy Scharfenberg, left, and Sgt. Bernardo Garza gave a video presentation about the need for body cameras in the VZC Sheriff’s Department during a special meeting of the VZC Commissioners Court Jan. 9.
The process to follow through with a grant application for the purpose of supplying Van Zandt County sheriff’s deputies with body cameras was approved during a special meeting of the county commissioners court Jan. 9.
A video and a power point presentation on the benefits of body cameras for deputies was given to the commissioners by Captain Timothy Scharfenberg and Sgt. Bernardo Garza of the county sheriff’s department.
In-car cameras are currently being used in the department but body cameras are currently not available for all members of the sheriff’s office, according to Scharfenberg and Garza.
“This is a very important topic in our county and in law enforcement,” said Scharfenberg. “Our society is charged up about anything having to do with law enforcement today. When in-car cameras first came out, I hated them but now over the years, I consider the in-car camera to be my best friend. There have been times when members of the general public have lied to law enforcement and the in-car camera has saved my rear end. The body camera is a first-person recollection of the incident when law enforcement shows up on the scene.”
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