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Sheriff: County awarded $50,000 Blue Shield grant; funds targeted for body-worn cameras
Summary
St. Francois County Sheriff's Office reported receipt of a $50,000 Blue Shield grant that the sheriff said will be used to acquire and test body-worn camera systems. The sheriff described plans to test multiple vendors and noted countywide needs of roughly 34–37 deputies plus Terre Du Lac coverage.
The St. Francois County Sheriff reported at the Oct. 7 commission meeting that the sheriff’s office received a $50,000 grant through the state’s Blue Shield initiative to support body-worn camera acquisition and testing.
"We did receive our Blue Shield grant, $50,000," the sheriff said, noting the county must complete vendor testing and evaluation before full procurement. The sheriff said the office has tested two vendors and intended to test at least one additional vendor; the department plans to conduct three vendor tests in total.
County officials discussed scale and potential costs. The sheriff said the total number of deputies to outfit — including Terre Du Lac coverage — would be about 34 to 37 deputies. Estimates discussed at the meeting ranged from roughly $400 per camera (for a particular vendor if purchased with a compatible radio system) to about $1,000 per camera for standard body-worn systems. In-car camera systems were described as materially more expensive (roughly $5,000–$6,000 per vehicle) when integrated with in-car systems.
The sheriff said the grant will not necessarily cover all costs up front; many vendors offer multi-year contracts and the county could pursue phased procurement. The sheriff also said most county cities received similar $50,000 grants, with one local jurisdiction not covered.
No formal commission action was required on the grant award; the sheriff presented the departmental report and described next steps for procurement and rollout.
