In a few weeks, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office will “hire” another pair of eyes for its frontline deputies.

Sheriff Travis Patten suggests new body cameras that his department will soon deploy should provide a good insurance policy of sorts that will protect both citizens and the deputies who protect and serve us on a daily basis.

The cameras are not meant to catch anyone doing anything they’re not supposed to do. But the cameras should, when properly deployed, provide an unbiased, but slightly limited, view of what can be emotion-filled, stressful situations.

Human beings make mistakes, some of which can be deadly, but more often, we tend to not notice things in the heat of the moment.

The cameras can provide a level of “reply” in questionable circumstances, or when an eyewitness suggests they saw something different than an officer reports having seen.

The cameras may provide another, impartial witness to what transpires.

Citizens should feel more at ease knowing any interactions with deputies are being recorded. And deputies, on the other hand, should feel good as well knowing that some of the outlandish behavior they encounter is also being recorded. Potentially the video recordings could also help convict more criminals who are caught mistreating and disrespecting law enforcement.

We thank Magnolia Bluffs Casino for donating $14,000 to the sheriff’s office to purchase the bulk of the needed camera equipment and look forward to the camera’s implementation.

Sheriff Patten ran for election on a promise to bring transparency to the sheriff’s office, and this appears to be another step in the right direction.