Brookhaven School District buses are equipped with video cameras, and a recent allegation that a West Lincoln bus driver touched a child inappropriately has spurred conversations within the county district about adding the security measure.

Brookhaven School District Transportation Director Jeff Richardson said all 31 buses used on routes have working video cameras that include audio recording. Richardson said the buses have had cameras for at least as long as the three years he’s been with BSD, and every new bus is outfitted with one.

There are some counties in Mississippi that have at least some buses outfitted with cameras, including: Lamar, Desoto, Jackson, Harrison and Hancock counties.

LCSD did at one point have video cameras on all of its buses, years ago. Superintendent Terry Brister said they were being damaged often, and they stopped being replaced. Enterprise Attendance Center Principal Shannon Eubanks said when there were cameras roughly 20 years ago they became cost-prohibitive.

However, there are fewer incidents for which bus security cameras would be called upon than one might think, Brister said.

Eubanks said while he can’t speak for the entire district, at least at Enterprise, school cameras haven’t been needed. Eubanks said he recognizes there are instances where they can be useful, but that these are so few and far between that the cost restrictions exceed the need for them.

“If we had the money with the resources and could wish-list it, yes, it would be nice,” Eubanks said. “But with our limited resources cameras on the bus, for the limited amount of good they give us [for those rare situations], they are a lower priority […]. There are other things that take priority.”

Eubanks said there are definitely benefits to the security, such as the cameras serving as a deterrent for bad behavior and providing evidence in an investigation. However, Eubanks said, there might be one or two incidents a year for which the question of security video comes up.

Incidents like the one being investigated now though, Brister said, are the instances in which they wish video was available. Brister said that LCSD is looking into potentially outfitting buses with video cameras. He likened the situation to a house alarm system — so many go without, and you don’t need it until the one time you do.

“The board [is] looking into things now, so in the near future we might can get some of our buses equipped with cameras,” Brister said.

When asked about the West Lincoln bus driver accused of touching a child, Brister said he could not comment. Whether the suspect, Charles R. Davis, is on some sort of leave is unknown at this time.

Davis, 68, of 660 Alderman Lane SW, was arrested Friday on a charge of touching a child for lustful purposes.

Davis was released on a $25,000 bond. Davis drove a route for West Lincoln Attendance Center.

District Attorney Dee Bates said the child is a minor under 16.