Hernando County Commissioners voted 5–0 Oct. 28 to fund a countywide body‑worn camera program proposed by the sheriff’s office and to pursue federal grants and other funding sources, including a possible half‑cent sales tax, to defray costs.

The sheriff’s office presented a plan that would equip uniformed road personnel, traffic, marine, school resource officers and certain bailiffs with body cameras and replace/on‑contract Tasers to integrate camera activation. Sheriff Al Amin said the program could be started right away but would require substantial upfront spending; he and Captain John McMurdo described a 10‑year contract with vendor Axon and projected first‑year costs higher because of initial equipment purchase and setup.

McMurdo told commissioners the office had identified 294 body cameras to cover staff who now carry Tasers and estimated year‑one camera costs at about $2,638,819 and recurring annual costs thereafter of roughly $929,515, with an additional estimated $258,229 in year‑one personnel to handle the likely increase in public‑records requests. He said the Department of Justice grant that opened this fall caps awards per applicant at $2,000,000 and nationwide funding is limited; depending on grant interpretation the sheriff’s office could receive either roughly $588,000 (the $2,000 per camera figure) or up to $2,000,000 toward the program.

Commissioners pressed for detail on compares with neighboring counties, recurring staffing needs and whether dash cameras would remain in use; Captain McMurdo said dash cameras would be retained and that experience elsewhere showed a high administrative burden for public‑records processing once body cameras are deployed. Commissioners also asked whether the sheriff’s office could pay some or all upfront costs from returned or unspent sheriff’s funds; staff told the board a portion of the sheriff’s unspent funds (estimated about $800,000) had been designated for this use and that a budget transfer from reserves would be needed to implement the program pending grant reimbursement.

After debate over whether to condition funding on receiving grants, the board approved a motion to fund the program now and to continue pursuing grant money and other revenue (including a proposed half‑cent sales tax referenced by the sheriff) to offset county costs. County staff estimated the first‑year outlay (before any grant reimbursement) would be roughly $2.9 million; the board directed staff to finalize budget transfers and to return grant paperwork and contract terms to the commission for records as needed.

Sheriff Amin and Captain McMurdo emphasized technological features of the new cameras — automatic activation tied to taser or firearm removal, AI tools that can assist report writing and evidence tagging — and said Axon was the vendor chosen because of existing Taser contracts and local agencies’ experience. Commissioners and county staff also discussed public‑records fees and redaction burdens; McMurdo said comparable agencies reported dozens of video requests per day and that the county should expect a significant increase in records workload.

The board’s action directs immediate implementation planning and initial funding from county reserves, with the expectation that successful grant awards would reimburse some or all startup and early operating costs. The commission also asked staff to track public‑records and staffing costs closely and to report back with updates on grant interpretation, contract terms and a refined multi‑year budget impact.

Votes at a glance
- Motion approved Oct. 28, 2025: “Approve funding the sheriff’s body‑worn camera program immediately and direct staff to pursue federal grants and other funding sources (including a potential half‑cent sales tax) to offset program costs.” Moved: Commissioner Hamzler. Second: Commissioner Champion. Tally: 5–0 in favor.

Ending: Staff will return with grant documentation, contract details and budget transfer paperwork; commissioners asked for periodic reports on public‑records workload and personnel needs as the program is implemented.