Residents: 'Stop lying to us' After Sheriff Snubs $2 Million Grant to Purchase BWCs

BROOKSVILLE – For years the citizens of Hernando County have demanded that Sheriff Al Nienhuis implement a body-worn camera (BWC) program to protect deputies and the community, but no matter how many solutions are presented, Nienhuis always finds a way to say no and dodge the issue.

Nienhuis is up for reelection this year and up until candidate Joe Puglia stepped into the ring, Nienhuis thought he could once again ignore pleas for more transparency in the agency. Unfortunately for Nienhuis, one of the top items on Puglia's agenda is to implement a BWC program and that could be the deciding factor in the August 20th Primary Election.

Depending on who he talks to, Nienhuis provides a different explanation as to why he refuses to implement BWCs, and residents say they've had enough of his "lies."

During a Board of County Commissioners Meeting (BOCC) in September of 2022, Chris Stockton, who serves as the BWC director for a major Bay Area law enforcement agency, conducted a presentation that highlighted the success of their program. During his presentation, Stockton explained that the estimated cost of a five-year BWC program for the Hernando County Sheriff's Office would be approximately $600,000, not including any federal grant funding. But Sheriff Nienhuis ignored the estimate and took no action to seek grant funding.

Currently, there is a $2 million Department of Justice (DOJ) grant available for any law enforcement agency to establish a BWC program that expires on July 24th, but Nienhuis refuses to apply for the funds or explain why he's not interested. Conversely, on May 28th of this year, Nienhuis requested that the BOCC approve the same DOJ grant to receive new bulletproof vests for his deputies.

Over the last few year years, Nienhuis offered a slew of excuses outside of budgetary constraints, like BWC footage being fully accessible to the public, and allowing media outlets to release video of domestic violence incidents from inside people's homes. None of those explanations are true, according to Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes, which protects the identities of victims of a crime. Additionally, law enforcement agencies have full discretion in what records are released, taking both funding and privacy issues off the table of reasons to not purchase BWCs.

Residents place some of the blame on certain members of the BOCC for not demanding answers on issues like Nienhuis' clandestine Flock "spy camera" program, "rubber stamping" his massive budgetary proposals, or demanding $350 million to rebuild the entire Sheriff's Office and Detention Center. Whenever these issues arise during BOCC meetings, the only commissioner to demand explanations for from the Sheriff is Commissioner Steve Champion. During a recent meeting, Champion was so incensed by the lack of conservative thinking among his fellow board members that he suggested a freeze on all spending and budget increases in the county. Commissioners John Allocco, Beth Narverud, Brian Hawkins, and Jerry Campbell never ask Nienhuis to explain his reasons for demanding 10-12% increases or why he opposes BWCs. Residents are starting to suspect that the relationship between Nienhuis and the four commissioners is nefarious and that self-interest comes before the will of their constituents.

Board of County Commissioners

R News asked candidate for District 1 County Commissioner Ryan Amsler, who is running against incumbent Beth Narverud what he thought of the issues, and he stated, "I fully support our deputies and hold them in the highest regard. I invite the Sheriff to sit down with me and explain why the Department of Justice and citizens of this county fully support BWCs. How do we not have the funds available when many legitimate sources estimate our overall public safety to be upwards of 65% of the general fund, and most other counties fall within 30-50%? Additionally, you raise privacy concerns with BWCs, while at the same time erecting secret Flock cameras around the county, which may present Fourth Amendment issues like United States v. Jones and Riley v. California."

Candidate for Commissioner Ryan Amsler (R)

Candidate for Sheriff Joe Puglia tells R News, "Body-worn cameras have been around and proven to be an excellent tool for the majority of law enforcement agencies throughout the country. The only reason not to have them is because you [Sheriff Nienhuis] are uncomfortable or afraid of what will be captured and that's a failure of leadership. I think Al finds himself as one of the last CEOs standing in the room who doesn't use them." Puglia has asked Nienhuis numerous times to debate him in a public forum, but he has declined Puglia's offer every time.

Candidate for Sheriff Joe Puglia (R)

R News presented the issue to our readers on Facebook to find out what they thought of Nienhuis' refusal to implement BWCs.

Rebecca Lyles von Klock: "The Privacy argument for BWCs is negated by his putting in Flock Camera System in place with no consent of the people. The liability is greater for the Flock system than BWC because it is surveilling citizens without a warrant that are not committing a crime or suspected of committing a crime, no Probable Cause to surveil. With BWC you can argue that insurance risk is reduced and in turn reduces liability, among other arguments. There is no assumption of privacy when committing a crime."

Debbie George-Sims: "He needs to protect the deputies. We demand body cameras. He is not backing up his officers and that is a shame."

Chris McDowell: "He's a dirty sheriff and this county deserves better, along with his deputies.

BWC protects both sides - good people, bad people, good cops, bad cops. There is no reason to hide unless you have something to hide. Plenty of grant money to purchase plus his pocket is OVERFLOWING with money given to him."

Jim Christenson: "The only Police or Sheriff's department that would deny or refuse to have cameras, is a corrupt and abusive one."

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