The Portage County Sheriff’s Department’s new body and dash cameras will soon be in operation.

The department has had the equipment since November, but there has been a delay in getting everything up and running.

“There are things we have to develop,” Nick Deserio, Portage County Sheriff’s Detective, said. “The first day we have video we have to be ready for public records requests, we have to be ready for requests from prosecutors for court.”

Deserio said the addition of the cameras is one way to keep things transparent and officers accountable.

The addition will cost the department approximately $400,000.

The system will be in use within the next few weeks.

“Our vendor, Getac, is scheduled to come out next week to setup, program and train out deputies on the system,” Deserio said in an email. “Once all that is complete the system will be live, and the body cameras will be fully implemented. We will have dash cameras in some cars and are planning to install more as cars continue to be upfitted.”

Alexandria Manthey is a TV2 reporter. Contact them at [email protected].