Body-worn cameras; require cities and counties to provide to police officers and deputy sheriffs.

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To: Judiciary B;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Karriem

HOUSE BILL NO. 408

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 21-21-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REQUIRE THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES OF MUNICIPALITIES TO PROVIDE 2
POLICE OFFICERS, WHO ARE ON PATROL, WITH BODY-WORN CAMERAS; TO 3
DEFINE THE TERM "BODY-WORN CAMERA"; TO AMEND SECTION 19-25-13, 4
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE COUNTY BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS 5
TO INCLUDE ALLOCATIONS FOR BODY-WORN CAMERAS IN THE ANNUAL BUDGETS 6
FOR SHERIFFS' OFFICES; TO AMEND SECTION 19-25-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE 7
OF 1972, TO REQUIRE DEPUTY SHERIFFS, WHO ARE ON PATROL, TO WEAR 8
BODY-WORN CAMERAS; TO CREATE A NEW SECTION TO PROVIDE CERTAIN 9
PENALTIES FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND SHERIFF DEPUTIES WHO FAIL TO 10
WEAR BODY-WORN CAMERAS WHILE ON PATROL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 12
SECTION 1. Section 21-21-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 13
amended as follows: 14
21-21-3. (1) The governing authorities of municipalities 15
shall have the power and authority to employ, regulate and support 16
a sufficient police force or night marshals, to define the duties 17
thereof, and to furnish and supply all suitable and necessary 18
equipment * * *, which such suitable and necessary equipment shall 19
include the equipment described in subsection (2) of this section. 20
(2) The governing authorities of municipalities shall 21
provide all police officers, while on patrol, with body-worn 22
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cameras that shall be worn on the uniforms of the officers. As 23
used in this section, "body-worn cameras" means devices that are 24
worn by police officers which electronically record audio and 25
video of the activities of the officers. 26
(3) If any police officer fails to wear a body-worn camera 27
while on patrol, then the officer shall be subject to the 28
penalties prescribed under Section 4 of this act. 29
SECTION 2. Section 19-25-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 30
amended as follows: 31
19-25-13. The sheriff shall, at the July meeting of the 32
board of supervisors, submit a budget of estimated expenses of his 33
office for the ensuing fiscal year beginning October 1 in such 34
form as shall be prescribed by the Director of the State 35
Department of Audit. The board shall examine this proposed budget 36
and determine the amount to be expended by the sheriff in the 37
performance of his duties for the fiscal year and may increase or 38
reduce that amount as it deems necessary and proper. 39
The budget shall include amounts for compensating the 40
deputies and other employees of the sheriff's office, for 41
insurance providing protection for the sheriff and his deputies in 42
case of disability, death and other similar coverage, for travel 43
and transportation expenses of the sheriff and deputies, for 44
feeding prisoners and inmates of the county jail, and for any 45
other expenses that may be incurred in the performance of the 46
duties of the office of sheriff. In addition, the budget shall 47
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include amounts for the payment of premiums on bonds and insurance 48
for the sheriff and his deputies which, in the opinion of the 49
board of supervisors, are deemed necessary to protect the 50
interests of the county or the sheriff and his deputies. The 51
amounts may include official bonds and any bonds required of his 52
deputies by the sheriff; liability insurance; insurance against 53
false arrest charges; insurance against false imprisonment 54
charges; theft, fire and other hazards insurance; and 55
hospitalization insurance as provided for in Sections 25-15-101 56
and 25-15-103. The board may authorize the reimbursement of the 57
sheriff and deputies for the use of privately owned automobiles or 58
other motor vehicles in the performance of official duties at the 59
rate provided by law for state officers and employees, or may 60
authorize the purchase by the sheriff of such motor vehicles and 61
such equipment as may be needed for operation of the sheriff's 62
office, the vehicles and equipment to be owned by the county. In 63
counties that have elected to purchase the motor vehicles and the 64
equipment for the operation of the sheriff's office, if a sheriff 65
or deputy shall be required in the performance of his official 66
duties, in the event of an emergency, to use his privately owned 67
automobile or other motor vehicle, the board of supervisors may, 68
in its discretion, authorize the reimbursement for that use at the 69
rate per mile provided by law for state officers and employees. 70
This shall not be construed as giving an officer a choice of 71
whether to use his own or the county's vehicle, but shall be 72
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construed so as not to penalize an officer who must use his own 73
vehicle because the county's vehicle was not available. 74
The board of supervisors, in its discretion, may include in 75
its annual budget for the sheriff's office an amount not to exceed 76
One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), which may be expended by the 77
sheriff to provide food, water and beverages for the sheriff, the 78
sheriff's deputies, state, national and local law enforcement 79
officers, emergency personnel, county employees and members of the 80
general public who the sheriff requests to assist him and his 81
office while in the performance of search and rescue missions, 82
disasters or other emergency operations. 83
The board of supervisors shall include in its annual budget 84
for the sheriff's office an amount that shall be expended by the 85
sheriff to provide each deputy, while on patrol, with a body-worn 86
camera. 87
The board of supervisors may acquire one or more credit cards 88
that may be used by the sheriff and his deputies to pay expenses 89
incurred by them when traveling in or out of state in the 90
performance of their official duties. The chancery clerk or 91
county purchase clerk shall maintain complete records of all 92
credit card numbers and all receipts and other documents relating 93
to the use of those credit cards. The sheriff shall furnish 94
receipts for the use of the credit cards each month to the 95
chancery clerk or purchase clerk who shall submit a written report 96
monthly to the board of supervisors, which report shall include an 97
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itemized list of all expenditures and use of the credit cards for 98
the month, and the expenditures may be allowed for payment by the 99
county in the same manner as other items on the claims docket. 100
The issuance of a credit card to a sheriff or his deputy under the 101
provisions of this section shall not be construed to authorize the 102
sheriff or deputy sheriff to use the credit card to make any 103
expenditure that is not otherwise authorized by law. 104
The board of supervisors is hereby authorized and empowered, 105
in its discretion, to appropriate and pay a sum not to exceed One 106
Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) annually as a clothing allowance to 107
each plainclothes investigator employed by the sheriff's office of 108
that county. The board of supervisors of any county bordering on 109
the Gulf of Mexico and having a population of more than thirty-one 110
thousand seven hundred (31,700) but less than thirty-one thousand 111
eight hundred (31,800) according to the 1990 Federal Census may 112
appropriate and pay a sum not to exceed One Thousand Dollars 113
($1,000.00) annually as a clothing allowance to the administrator 114
of the county jail. 115
The board of supervisors shall, at its first meeting of each 116
quarter beginning on October 1, January 1, April 1 and July 1, 117
appropriate a lump sum for the sheriff for the expenses of his 118
office during the current quarter. The quarterly appropriation 119
shall be one-fourth (1/4) of the amount approved in the annual 120
budget unless the sheriff requests a different amount. Except in 121
case of emergency, as provided in the county budget law, the 122
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appropriation for the quarter beginning in October of the last 123
year of the sheriff's term shall not exceed one-fourth (1/4) of 124
the annual budget. 125
The sheriff shall file a report of all expenses of his office 126
incurred during the preceding month with the board of supervisors 127
for approval at its regular monthly meeting in a form to be 128
prescribed by the Director of the State Department of Audit, and 129
upon filing thereof, and approval by the board, the clerk of the 130
board shall issue warrants in payment thereof but not to exceed 131
the budget appropriation for that quarter. Any appropriated funds 132
that are unexpended at the end of the fiscal year shall remain in 133
the county general fund. 134
The budget for the sheriff's office may be revised at any 135
regular meeting by the board of supervisors. Upon recommendation 136
of the sheriff, the board may at any regular meeting make 137
supplemental appropriations to the sheriff's office. 138
Any fees previously required to be paid by a sheriff shall be 139
paid by the board of supervisors by including the estimates 140
therefor in the sheriff's budget. All fees and charges for 141
services heretofore collected by sheriffs shall be collected by 142
the sheriff and paid monthly into the general fund of the 143
concerned county. However, any fees heretofore collected by those 144
sheriffs from the county shall not be paid. 145
SECTION 3. Section 19-25-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 146
amended as follows: 147
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19-25-21. (1) The minimum number of deputies having law 148
enforcement duties for each sheriff shall be based upon the total 149
population of his county according to the latest federal decennial 150
census in the following categories: 151
(a) In counties with a total population of more than 152
fifty thousand (50,000), the sheriff shall regularly employ a 153
minimum of five (5) deputies having law enforcement duties; 154
(b) In counties with a total population of more than 155
thirty-five thousand (35,000), and not more than fifty thousand 156
(50,000), the sheriff shall regularly employ a minimum of four (4) 157
deputies having law enforcement duties; 158
(c) In counties with a total population of more than 159
twenty-five thousand (25,000), and not more than thirty-five 160
thousand (35,000), the sheriff shall regularly employ a minimum of 161
three (3) deputies having law enforcement duties; 162
(d) In counties with a total population of more than 163
fifteen thousand (15,000), and not more than twenty-five thousand 164
(25,000), the sheriff shall regularly employ a minimum of two (2) 165
deputies having law enforcement duties; 166
(e) In all other counties, the sheriff shall regularly 167
employ a minimum of one (1) deputy sheriff having law enforcement 168
duties. 169
(2) In those counties comprised of two (2) judicial 170
districts having a total population of thirty-five thousand 171
(35,000) or more, there shall be not less than two (2) deputies in 172
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the judicial district in which the sheriff does not reside, one 173
(1) of whom shall be the chief deputy in charge of the office, all 174
of whom shall be subject to the direction of the sheriff. In those 175
counties comprised of two (2) judicial districts having a total 176
population of less than thirty-five thousand (35,000), there shall 177
be at least one (1) deputy in the judicial district in which the 178
sheriff does not reside who shall be subject to the direction of 179
the sheriff. 180
(3) Each deputy sheriff who shall have law enforcement 181
duties shall, at the expense of the county, attend and complete an 182
appropriate curriculum in the field of law enforcement at the 183
Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Academy within one (1) year 184
from the date of his appointment, excluding those who have 185
previously served as sheriff, or have had at least five (5) years' 186
experience as a full-time law enforcement officer, or have 187
previously successfully completed a course of training at the 188
Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Academy or at the Jackson 189
Police Academy. Any deputy sheriff exempted from attendance at the 190
initial course as herein provided because of previous service as 191
sheriff or having five (5) years' full-time law enforcement 192
experience must have served as sheriff or obtained such experience 193
within a period of ten (10) years prior to the date of his taking 194
the oath of office. Any deputy sheriff exempted from attendance 195
because of successful completion of a course of training at either 196
of the aforementioned academies must have completed such course 197
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ST: Body-worn cameras; require cities and
counties to provide to police officers and
deputy sheriffs.
within five (5) years prior to the date of his taking the oath of 198
office. Each deputy sheriff shall thereafter, on a periodic and 199
continuing basis, attend additional advanced courses in law 200
enforcement at said Academy in order that each deputy sheriff will 201
be properly informed and trained in the modern, technical advances 202
in the field of law enforcement. 203
(4) Each deputy sheriff is required to wear a body-worn 204
camera while on patrol. If any deputy fails to wear the body-worn 205
camera, as required by this subsection, the deputy shall be 206
subject to the penalties prescribed in Section 4 of this act. As 207
used under this subsection, "body-worn camera" means the same as 208
the term is defined under Section 21-21-3. 209
SECTION 4. Any municipal police officer or county deputy 210
sheriff who fails to wear his or her body-worn camera while on 211
patrol, as required under Sections 21-21-3 and 19-25-21, shall be 212
guilty of a misdemeanor upon conviction and shall be punished by a 213
fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or 214
imprisonment not to exceed six (6) months, or both. 215
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from 216
and after July 1, 2026. 217