OLR Report 2015-R-0142 provides the status of funding for the body-worn camera (BWC) program announced by President Obama in 2014.
In December, 2014, President Obama proposed a $263 million investment to increase police use of BWCs and expand training for law enforcement officers. The program would allocate $75 million over three years to buy 50,000 BWCs.
As part of that initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on May 1 announced a $20 million pilot program to help law enforcement agencies throughout the country implement or enhance BWC programs. This includes $19 million in competitive grants for buying BWCs, training, and other technical assistance, and $1 million to develop evaluation tools to study best practices associated with BWC use.
According to DOJ, the intent of the program is to help law enforcement agencies develop, implement, and evaluate BWC programs to enhance police interactions with the public and build community trust. The program will be administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs.
DOJ says it expects to provide up to 50 awards. It is currently soliciting grant applications; the application deadline is June 16, 2015.
To read the full report, click here.
