This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – Madison County deputies have adopted a new piece of technology to help those who serve and protect.

Chief Deputy David Jernigan said the department is now using body cameras as the next step to increase accountability and oversight for their deputies.

All 90 of the department’s uniformed patrol deputies wear the cameras clipped to the front of their uniforms. In the field, it’s their responsibility to turn the camera on before every interaction with the public.

“That’s for our employees and also for the public,” said Jernigan. “If the public makes a false allegation, and these things have happened in the past about the conduct of a Deputy Sheriff, we will have video evidence, audio and visual of exactly what happened, and likewise if our employees step out of line.”

The cameras have about 90 days of recording space before automatically deleting its contents. Deputies can not delete anything from the cameras.

Over the past two months, they have been trained on how to use the devices, as well as how to review and mark parts of the video that can be saved and backed up to the cloud.

The cameras cost the Madison County Sheriff’s Office $131,000. $42,000 of the cost was paid for with a Department of Justice Grant.