The right way

Corvallis Police Chief Sassaman and Benton County Sheriff Jackson have agreed to wait on implementing the body camera systems for their respective departments until they can work out memorandums of understanding on storage and staffing with the DA’s office.

“I know that we would be putting the greatest burden on their office,” Sassaman said. “And we know they’re an understaffed office. If we start creating greater demand that could impede their cases. The way I see it, if we we’re rowing really fast and the other side of the boat isn’t able to row equally, then we’re rowing in circles.”

Jackson agreed.

“I want to take this slow and make sure we evaluate the entire system and answer John’s concerns and make sure we have a system in place to support it,” Jackson said. “I want to make sure when we do it, we do it right.”

Haroldson said he hopes to address the concerns of hundreds of police departments throughout the country that have implemented body camera programs without the proper infrastructure.