WAUKESHA — The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office is pushing for body-worn cameras for the first time. The sheriff's office says it is now working with the county executive to equip patrol deputies.
The shift in position comes three weeks after Waukesha County deputies shot and killed a man following a multi-county police chase. Investigators said the man got out of his vehicle with a gun, but there is no video showing the encounter.
The move also follows recent comments from Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow, who revealed on a county government podcast in late March that the sheriff had never requested funding for the cameras.
Waukesha County Spokesperson Hillary Mintz asked Farrow if the sheriff had ever asked the county to fund body-worn or dash cameras.
Watch: Waukesha County Sheriff's Office pushes for body cameras following a fatal deputy-involved shooting
"No. Since I've been in this position for over a decade now, I've run 11 budgets, and the sheriff has never come forward with body cams as a priority," Farrow said.
Sheriff Eric Severson is not running for re-election, and his time in office ends in eight months. He has long called the lack of cameras a funding issue.
"I would like to get a lot of resources to do a lot of things. It is a financial issue," Severson said.
A 2023 study conducted by the sheriff's office estimated the cost at $1.7 million over a five-year contract with its preferred body camera company. That funding would cover 150 body cameras and video storage, but would not include new staff positions to fulfill open records requests for footage.
State Department of Justice records and previous reporting show the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office is the only remaining law enforcement agency in southeastern Wisconsin without body or dash cameras.
The union representing Waukesha County sheriff's deputies said its members have been long-time supporters of body-worn cameras, noting the technology provides an unbiased view of critical incidents.
One day after the recent deputy-involved shooting, all three candidates running for sheriff told TMJ4 it is past time for deputies to wear the cameras.
"This should have been solved 10 years ago," Dan Day said.
"We need to make it a priority," John Gscheidmeier said.
"Come day one, we're going to right the ship on that," Nicolas Ollinger said.
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