By WMAY Newsroom
Photo: Kevin Hart/WMAY News
Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell says he is working to outfit his deputies with body cameras, although there’s still no indication of when it might happen or how much it will cost.
Campbell had initially wanted to wait, saying he wanted to see how body cams worked in the Springfield police department. But a recent state law puts pressure on police departments to be equipped with the devices by 2023. Campbell says he believes body cams will generally show that officers’ actions in a given incident are justified.
He says he is still talking with the county board on the timing and cost of implementing body cams.
By Jim Leach
U.S. Army photograph
It’s understandable in the current climate why people of good faith would have genuine concerns about Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell’s plan to acquire a military-surplus armored vehicle. From the Derek Chauvin case (and far too many similar incidents around the country) to the aggressive tactics used by some police agencies during last year’s nationwide demonstrations, there are legitimate concerns that the appearance of “militarization” by police could lead to more mistrust and animosity between officers and those they are sworn to serve and protect.
But Sheriff Campbell also makes legitimate points about the ways such a vehicle can be used to protect not only his deputies, but the public at large. The potential safety benefits that such a vehicle can provide outweigh the potential concerns about unfortunate optics.
By WMAY Newsroom
Photo: Kevin Hart/WMAY News
A dozen community organizations are coming out in opposition to Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell’s plan to acquire a military-surplus armored vehicle.
The vehicle that Campbell wants is smaller than the M-RAP mine-resistant vehicle the county used to have, and which was used once to defuse an armed standoff before eventually being given to LaSalle County. Campbell says the armored vehicle can protect officers in dangerous situations and can be used to deal with weather situations and other conditions that are beyond a standard vehicle’s capability.
But the Faith Coalition for the Common Good and other groups say it represents a “military-intimidation” style of policing that would be detrimental to good police-community relations.
Full speed ahead illinoistimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from illinoistimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Like other sheriffs and police chiefs, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell says he s concerned at the prospect of cash bail being eliminated by the legislature. Sangamon County is facing a potential budget hole as the state contemplates ending the cash bail system. When someone posts bond, the county charges a 10 percent fee that goes into the county s general fund after cases are adjudicated. With $4.1 million of bonds held in 6,799 pending cases as of Dec. 31, the county stands to collect more than $400,000, although people who aren t charged with crimes within 90 days or so can get their money back, according to David Durall, chief deputy clerk in the Sangamon County circuit clerk s office.