Dear Putnam Valley Community:
I am writing to notify you that the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department has notified the school district regarding the deployment of Body Worn Cameras (BWCs) to its officers, including their School Resource Officers (SROs). This change is the result of the Policy Reform Act of 2020, which called for programs incorporating BWCs by law enforcement personnel.
Superintendents from around the region have reached out to the Sheriff to request additional information regarding the implementation and activation of these cameras. A statement regarding BWCs was issued by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and is attached to this letter.
It is our understanding that the BWCs are not recording or storing video until activated by the officer or in emergency scenarios when the camera is automatically activated. We will continue to seek additional information regarding the privacy concerns related to the activation of a BWC on school grounds.
Thank you,
Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools
File attachments:
letter_school_super_re__body_camaras_09082022.pdf