In the new year, some York County prison guards will be required to wear body cameras in the event of an incident, like a fight.
The movement to equip law enforcement personnel with cameras is gaining momentum after high-profile cases in Ferguson, Missouri and New York where men died after violent altercations with police.
York County prison board members approved spending $14,000 on 12 body cameras and associated software. The money will come from fees collected from inmates who use the prison's telephones. Money will not come from taxpayers.
Prison Supervisors will wear the cameras if and when they need to respond to incidents.
York County President Commissioner, Steve Chronister says the cameras would have been helpful in an incident that happened last year at York County Prison. Guards were accused of forcing inmates to fight one another and take part in demeaning activities, like snorting chili powder.
Chronister says, "We just want to make sure we're protecting when things go wrong, we're doing things right and protecting prisoners and the safety of the guards."
Supervisors will be equipped with the body cameras in January.
