Waukesha County sheriff’s deputies are expected to begin wearing body cameras on January 1, 2027, after years of debate and months of planning. The program is currently projected to cost less than $500,000, but officials have not settled on a final price, vendor or funding breakdown. Training could begin before the new year.
The patrol-focused rollout has been in the works since April, when the sheriff’s department began coordinating with the county executive’s office. Capt. Nick Ollinger was assigned to help build the program, which is being designed to make evidence easier to share, according to The Freeman. A previous report by FOX6 Milwaukee said the department views the cameras as tools for transparency, accountability and courtroom evidence.
Waukesha County Has Been A Camera Outlier
The new plan follows renewed scrutiny over the sheriff’s office being one of the last major law enforcement agencies in southeast Wisconsin without body or dashboard cameras. TMJ4 News reported that the issue gained fresh attention after a deputy-involved shooting in March, for which there was no video from sheriff’s office cameras. All three candidates seeking to replace Sheriff Eric Severson said cameras should be a priority.
The proposal still needs approval from the Waukesha County Board as part of the 2027 budget, which is expected to be finalized in November. The department is discussing the purchase with two unidentified vendors, but no contract has been signed; officials told The Freeman that funding will likely come from multiple sources.
Election-Year Politics Are Hanging Over The Rollout
John Gscheidmeier, a county supervisor and candidate for sheriff, supports body cameras but questioned the timing. He said the effort appeared rushed to get cameras in place before the election and recommended that the next sheriff work with the County Board before finalizing the program, according to The Freeman.
Supporters say the technology is now easier to deploy than it was when Severson took office in 2015, when cost was identified as the main obstacle. In a statement reported by FOX6 Milwaukee, County Executive Paul Farrow called the project an important step for transparency and public trust.
The initial program would cover body cameras for deputies patrolling county roads, not dashboard cameras for sheriff’s squads. Those could be considered later, leaving the next sheriff and county leaders to decide whether Waukesha County’s long-awaited camera upgrade stops at body cams or eventually expands across the fleet.
