LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno announced his office is buying 615 body-worn cameras from Motorola. The high-definition equipment will be issued to patrol deputies, K9s and corrections personnel in high-liability areas.

“Technology has been the forefront of my initiatives because it has proven to solve crime, show transparency and hold people accountable,” said Sheriff Marceno. 

The decision was made now because the money lined up, and the sheriff said technology caught up to their department standards. 

“This technology Motorola is sending is cost-effective and with the technology behind us, we’re going to be unstoppable,” said Marceno.

On October 17, ABC7 reported that LCSO fired three deputies and suspended four others for failing to report the use of excessive force during an arrest. Sheriff Marceno said that did not play a role in this decision.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Three LCSO deputies fired; four others disciplined after excessive force investigation

“There’s no other cases, the timing was on my decision as the sheriff of this county,” said Marceno.  

According to LCSO, Lee County commissioners supported funding the additions which will cost around $2.5 million over a five-year period.

LCSO has not yet announced when we can expect to see deputies with the new Motorola V700 LTE body-worn cameras.

Sheriff Marceno said the equipment will be introduced to personnel in three phases: including training on policies and procedures, correctly deploying the cameras and follow-ups for better future use.