MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — Manitowoc County is considering a large project to overhaul the Sheriff's Department's technology.
- Manitowoc County Sheriff Dan Hartwig says the project will benefit the community, officers, and the courts.
- Manitowoc is currently 1 of only 4 counties in Northeastern Wisconsin without body cams.
- The body cameras were not included in the 2025 budget, so they will not be implemented until at least 2026.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Manitowoc County's sheriff says they are a bit behind in the technology department, but that may be changing soon.
They have a push to upgrade to some tech and add body cameras.
Sheriff Dan Hartwig says body cameras may be coming to every deputy in the sheriff's department.
"This is going to be a very large project,” he told me.
Hartwig is also looking at upgrades such as new squad car cameras, control devices (like tasers), and equipment for four interview rooms.
"Our job is to build trust and build relevancy with our agency, with our community,” said Hartwig
But, Sheriff Hartwig says the entire project will cost around $1 million.
"I need the support of our county board and our county exec. to move forward,” said Hartwig.
County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer declined an interview but said the proposal was too late for the 2025 budget.
He says they will consider adding them to the 2026 budget and will also look for any federal grant opportunities.
Sheriff Hartwig says the project is worth the cost.
"It benefits our community, benefits the safety of our officers,” he said. “Benefits our court system for a lot more documentation for prosecution purposes."
According to state data, most Wisconsin county sheriff's offices already have body-worn cameras.
In Northeast Wisconsin, Manitowoc is one of only four counties without them. The others are Calumet, Oconto, and Marinette counties. But Sheriff Hartwig says that could be an advantage.
"A lot of people have been in this before us,” he said. “So, we kind of get an idea of the good, the bad, and what we will need to do for our project."
The next step is an RFP, or Request For Proposal, done by the county. They will investigate which body cameras to get and if the project will eventually get the green light in our county.
