Smile! You could be on the Cass sheriff's camera

WALKER -- Cass County Board members received a demonstration during their lunch hour Tuesday of new video cameras to be installed in five county squad cars.

After a public hearing on a proposal to use a $39,595 federal law enforcement block grant for equipment, the board voted to accept the grant and designate it pay for one new squad car and the five cameras.

Whenever a deputy activates red lights on a squad car, the camera will begin videotaping everything in front of the car. Deputies also can activate the camera any time manually.

Besides taping the scene in front of a car, the camera can be rotated to tape prisoners in the back seat of a squad car. A microphone deputies will wear will record sound as well.

The board authorized an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to provide law enforcement for the Chippewa National Forest.

The forest service will pay the county up to $26,500 this year for mileage and deputy wages and benefits expended to patrol the forest. This is up from a maximum of $11,500 last year.