Body cameras for Indian River deputies? Not this year, Sheriff Loar says

Colleen Wixon | Treasure Coast Newspapers

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Even if county commissioners wanted to equip sheriff's deputies with body cameras, the decision has to come from Sheriff Deryl Loar.

The commission cannot force Loar to make any changes to his proposed $49.9 million budget, Commission Chairman Joe Flescher, a former sheriff's deputy, said at Tuesday's commission meeting.

So far, Loar is keeping body cameras out of his budget.

Family and friends of Alteria Woods — the 21-year-old woman fatally shot during a March 19 sheriff's Special Weapons and Tactical team drug raid at a Gifford house —have advocated for body cameras since the officer-involved shooting.

Supporters wearing shirts memorializing Woods attended Tuesday's meeting.

"We need them. We need them now," said resident Michael Marsh, who petitioned the county to equip deputies with body cameras.

Many law enforcement agencies are using body cameras, which could help reduce liability, Flescher said. He said he would "fully support" body cameras, video-recording devices worn by deputies and officers.

Flescher made his remarks in response to Marsh.

The sheriff's budget is out of the commission's jurisdiction, commissioners told Marsh.

"This is a Sheriff's Office decision. It's an administrative decision," Flescher added.

Loar, who was not in the commission meeting when Marsh made his presentation, said body cameras are not high among his budget priorities.

He said he is more concerned with recruiting and retaining additional deputies. As the economy improves, deputies are leaving Indian River County for better-paying agencies, Loar said.

"Manpower is more valuable than body cameras," Loar said.

Loar has voiced concerns about using body cameras, such as training deputies and how recordings would be handled, especially those taken at schools or hospitals where privacy could become an issue.

Flescher raised the concern that body cameras might not capture everything during an incident.