Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police will be the latest local law enforcement agency to adopt bodycam technology.

OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will be deploying body-worn cameras to all 152 commissioned law enforcement officers beginning in September.

The program aims to boost accountability, transparency and safety in natural resource law enforcement, WDFW said.

The body-worn camera program is being implemented next month following a comprehensive review and trial period, during which feedback from officers and stakeholders was incorporated to ensure that the technology meets the needs of the agency and the community, the agency said.

“This program advances our commitment to our core values and our mission to protect our natural resources and the public we serve,” said WDFW Police Chief Steve Bear. “Deploying body-worn cameras to our officers will help us build trust and relationships with all communities in Washington.”

The legislature allocated funding for this program in the 2023-2025 supplemental operating budget, allocating $915,000 for WDFW to equip officers with body-worn cameras. This allocation was one of many identified to support local law enforcement agencies statewide.