Natasha Vaughn is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has been given the green light from the board of supervisors to begin using body cameras. The sheriff’s office will be using the cameras beginning this week after the board approved a temporary policy to regulate them. At a special public safety meeting held April 6, an interim policy was adopted which allows the sheriff’s office to use the cameras until a more permanent policy is created by an implementation committee. “The sheriff’s department has the cameras and the company Axon has done all the downloads,” Ghent Supervisor Michael Benvenuto said. “They’ve instituted some training, they’ve run tests with the cameras.” Benevenuto chairs the county Public Safety Committee. Columbia County Sheriff David Bartlett said the interim policy comes from the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The interim policy addresses when to activate a camera, storage and downloading procedures, measures to prevent data tampering, access to review footage and equipment maintenance. Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell said he will appoint the implementation committee at the next board meeting. New Lebanon Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling made a motion to require the committee and the sheriff’s office to begin the process of creating a new policy within the next 60 days. The sheriff’s office was authorized by the board in December to enter into a five-year agreement with Axon Enterprise Inc., at $100,000 per year for the purchase of the body cameras, related equipment and storage. The cost includes 50 cameras. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.