The Wicomico County Council on Oct. 21 approved a $1,718,101.61 contract to replace and upgrade the sheriff’s office body‑worn camera system.

The contract covers hardware, software, licenses and cloud services and includes an equipment refresh at the 2½‑year mark and a five‑year contract term. The sheriff’s office told the council the new package includes “pro” licenses (enabling full functionality), AI‑assisted draft report tools, automatic evidence transcription and instantaneous translation features for interactions involving non‑English speakers.

Why it matters: County officials said the system streamlines evidence handling, reduces transcription costs and provides faster access to recorded interviews for prosecutors. Officials also said the county currently provides two cameras per deputy (to cover take‑home vehicles and shift transitions) and that the vendor’s refresh program helps keep equipment lifecycle costs predictable.

Council discussion and answers provided

- Cost and timing: Finance staff said payments were structured annually across the agreement and that the county covered the initial budgetary adjustments during FY‑26. Captain Rich Wiersburg of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office told council the department has used Axon technology for years and expected limited equipment failures based on experience.

- Functionality: Captain Wiersburg described live translation (the system’s ability to present real‑time translation across many languages), automatic evidence transcription for rapid review, and “policy chat” features that retrieve relevant policy passages for deputies in the field. He said safeguards prevent retroactive editing of evidence and that the vendor’s cloud evidence tools can provide secure remote access for prosecutors with timed codes.

- Staffing and support: The sheriff’s office said the vendor provides support and that in‑house IT handles most routine needs; deputies will be trained on the new features and the department expects no immediate headcount increase for operations.

Next steps: The sheriff’s office will provide a rollout and training timeline; council asked for follow‑up reporting on implementation and training for deputies.

Speakers (selected)

- Captain Rich Wiersburg, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office (presented technical and operational details)
- Pam Olin, Director of Finance (answered questions about budget and payment timing)

Authorities and documents referenced

- Contract with Axon (vendor) as described at the meeting; funding encoded in FY‑26 budget amendment and subsequent purchase order process.

Ending: The resolution (listed on the agenda as 175‑2025) passed unanimously; the sheriff’s office will report implementation details and training milestones to council staff.