Orlando police will receive about $500,000 of that grant money, officials said.
Advertisement
Last year, President Obama earmarked federal funds to help local police agencies purchase the devices, part of his efforts to strengthen fraught relationships between police and communities after a series of high-profile killings by officers.
The Fort Wayne Police Department has been awarded a grant for the use of body cameras on officers.
The grants, awarded through the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, are created to support body cameras as a law enforcement strategy aimed at improving public safety, reducing crime, and improving trust between police and the public.
“This vital pilot program is designed to assist local jurisdictions that are interested in exploring and expanding the use of body-worn cameras in order to enhance transparency, accountability and credibility”, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a statement.
Nationwide, there are $23 million in grants.
The interest in body cameras has increased recently with intense national focus on deaths of unarmed citizens during encounters with police officers.
Body cameras have been touted as a way to protect the public from police misconduct – and police from false accusations of abuse.
The body-worn cameras are being developed alongside a more than $800,000 expansion of the department’s access to in-car cameras.
The grant here requires a 50/50 cash or in kind match.
In addition to Los Angeles and San Bernardino/Fontana, one other Southern California city received a grant, according to the Department of Justice: $250,000 for Pasadena.
Greenville Police Chief Ken Miller said the department is excited to have the new technology.
The long-term costs associated with storing the information from the cameras will be the financial responsibility of each local agency.
Advertisement
It could still be several months before more beat officers in the winning cities have cameras.
