WINONA, Minn. – Sheriff Ron Ganrude has a $57,000 budget line for body cameras but isn’t settled yet on exactly how the cams will be used. Ganrude said he plans to seek public input before ordering cameras. Among issues: How much to tape? Clearly, Ganrude said, taping every minute of every deputy every day would generate unmanageable quantities of data. How much discretion should deputies have to record or not record? There needs to be a policy, Ganrude said. Body-cam systems differ on how to trigger taping — the moments before a deputy exits a squad a car? Or draws a weapon? Or enters a perilous place? Or when shots are fired or an officer is down? A further complicating issue: Whatever body-cam system is purchased needs to be compatible with the department’s current dashboard cameras.
