DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Uniformed officers of the Carl Vinson VA Police Department will begin wearing body cameras this week.

Starting Thursday, December 14, all VA officers will have body cameras, and their police vehicles will be equipped with dash cameras around March 2024. It’s all part of an effort Dublin VA police chief Roderick McNeil says will enhance transparency of police operations and officer safety.

“Everything we do in the policing profession is based on trust between ourselves and our public,” McNeil said. “We’ve worked hard for many years to build and maintain the highest level of credibility possible. The cameras will allow us to build on that foundation even further.”

According to the VA, the new policy will help its officers protect veterans, their families, caregivers, survivors, visitors and VA employees while on VA grounds.

The cameras will automatically record video and audio when an officer draws their issued firearm from their duty belt holster or when an officer activates the emergency lights in their police vehicle. Officers will also manually turn on their cameras during investigations and enforcement encounters. In-car cameras will be turned on for traffic stops, while responding to calls for service and while transporting those in custody.