Muskogee County Deputies Now Equipped With Body Cameras

Deputies in Muskogee County now have new body cameras. They hit the streets with the new cameras on Monday.

Related Story: Muskogee County Sheriff's Office Receives Body Cameras For First Time 

Department leaders said the cameras are equipped with special features to protect deputies and citizens. One thing that makes them unique is a monitor worn by deputies that lets people see what's being recorded in real time.

That's something Chief Deputy Michael Mahan said could be a game changer.

"A lot of people will, sort of, change their behavior based on seeing themselves and knowing they're being filmed," said Mahan.

That's not the only feature that makes the cameras so valuable. Once the device is turned on, it already has a full minute of audio and video stored, giving investigators a clearer picture of what happened leading up to the interaction.

"It's an impartial third witness. So, you'll have the deputy's word, you'll have the word of whoever the person was they were interacting with, and you'll have the camera and the camera is always going, to tell the truth," said Mahan.

The cameras are paid for by a $30,000 grant from the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.