WASHINGTON D.C. – The federal government will begin a $20 million body camera pilot program that is part of President Obama’s proposal to invest $75 million over three years, which will buy 50,000 body cameras for police officers, officials announced Friday.
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said the body cameras will be part of law enforcement tools for the future and will promote transparency and accountability. The use of these cameras will also improve the public trust between citizens and the police, officials stated.
“This body-worn camera pilot program is a vital part of the Justice Department’s comprehensive efforts to equip law enforcement agencies throughout the country with the tools, support, and training they need to tackle the 21st century challenges we face,” said Lynch. “Body-worn cameras hold tremendous promise for enhancing transparency, promoting accountability, and advancing public safety for law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.”
In California, a legislative committee approved setting guidelines on the use of body-worn cameras by police officers, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.
There are still lingering concerns over police access to the video and privacy issues, the Times reported.
The nation’s second largest law enforcement agency, the Los Angeles Police Department, will equip its officers with body-worn cameras.
The use of body cameras on law enforcement officers is a growing debate throughout the nation after slaying in Ferguson, Mo., Cleveland, Baltimore and other cities, officials said.
Administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, the body-worn camera pilot program will give support to help law enforcement agencies develop, implement and evaluate body-worn camera programs across the United States, federal officials stated.
Here are other details about the program:
- The Justice Department expects to provide 50 awards to law enforcement agencies, with about one-third of the grants directed toward smaller law enforcement agencies.
- The grants, which require a 50/50 in-kind or cash match, can be used to purchase equipment but applicants must establish a strong plan for implementation of body-worn cameras and a robust training policy before purchasing cameras.
- The long term costs associated with storing this information will be the financial responsibility of each local agency, according to officials.
- Another $2 million will fund a national body-worn camera Training and Technical Assistance provider through a competitive process, to assist agencies developing and enhancing their body-camera programs.
- This training and technical assistance will provide support to law enforcement agencies to support successful implementation of their body-worn camera programs.
- The federal government’s Bureau of Justice Statistics will receive $1 million of the funds to collect data on body-worn camera usage through surveys of law enforcement agencies.
- The Bureau of Justice Statistics will also design data collection forms that can be used in future surveys of prosecutors and public defenders to measure how body-worn camera footage is being used by the courts in criminal cases.
The pilot program investment includes $17 million in competitive grants for the purchase of body-worn cameras, $2 million for training and technical assistance and $1 million for the development of evaluation tools to study best practices.
“Body-worn camera technology is a valuable tool for improving police-citizen relationships,” said Director Denise O’Donnellof the Bureau of Justice Assistance. “BJA is committed to helping law enforcement agencies identify the safest and most effective methods for deploying this technology and addressing factors such as privacy, archiving and legal regulations surrounding its use. BJA stands by to guide agencies through what can be a complex process toward more successful adoption of the technology.”
Bureau of Justice Statistics will receive $1 million of the funds to collect data on body-worn camera usage through surveys of law enforcement agencies.
The Bureau of Justice will also design data collection forms that can be used in future surveys of prosecutors and public defenders to measure how body-worn camera footage is being used by the courts in criminal cases.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s Program click here: Fact Sheet on Body-Worn Cameras