New body cameras help push for transparency in Culpeper County

CULPEPER, Va. — It’s been about a month since the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office began to implement body cameras for the first time.

Sheriff Tim Chilton said about 50 cameras were equipped for deputies with the help of budget savings. That was one of his main priorities when he first stepped into this new role to take over a department previously shrouded in scandal. To him, transparency and accountability are vital.

“Cameras are something we could’ve done many years ago,” Chilton said. “It could’ve been applied for but it’s just people didn’t take the chance to.”

Through a recent round of federal grants, Culpeper is now one of seven law enforcement departments in Virginia to benefit from additional funding for body cameras. Chilton said with the $75,000 granted, it can help them supply 20 more body cameras for student resource officers and jail staff.

A total of $6 million has been awarded to 170 small and rural agencies through the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and Justice & Security Strategies (JSS) Small, Rural, and Tribal Body-Worn Camera Program.

“I honestly believe that it builds so much trust between the citizens and the law enforcement that it's a must,” Chilton told WUSA9.

Building trust was his main goal when we won the election in 2023 against longtime controversial Sheriff Scott Jenkins. There were ethical questions about how Jenkins operated the agency.

Jenkins is now facing a federal trial for bribery and conspiracy charges over allegations he accepted bribes for badges under a now-defunct auxiliary deputy program.

Jenkins said unbeknownst to him, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, helped push for the county to receive the funding for the cameras.

Dispatchers are able to gain access to the cameras in real time in case a deputy isn’t responsive in times of an incident.

Chilton said if a case is of public interest or concern including an officer-involved shooting, the videos will be made public.

Like in most jurisdictions, deputies will have cameras docked after each shift. The video is uploaded to a cloud, and depending on if the video is evidence will be removed after 30 days. They’re turned on during interactions with citizens.

Chilton said they’ve also managed to adjust the budget and fully staff the department at 164 positions.