AMHERST— More than a quarter of a million dollars in funding for police body camera pilot programs will be made available through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
The grants, totaling $275,000, follow a Senate-led initiative to provide local police departments access to body cameras, according to the office of state Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst.
The grants aim to fund four programs within certain population ranges, according to Rosenberg’s office, including one small town, two medium sized cities or towns and one large city.
“Implementing police body camera pilot programs will allow us to collect the necessary data to properly develop statewide policies based on the real-life experience of our local communities,” Rosenberg said in a prepared statement. “Using technology to provide greater transparency and security for our police officers and citizens is the direction we want to head in, but first we need the appropriate frameworks in place to ensure reasonable, fair, and balanced policies.”
The requirements for body camera pilot program grants are as follows, according to Rosenberg’s office:
Grantees who wish to purchase cameras must certify that law enforcement agencies receiving cameras have a written “mandatory wear” policy in effect.
Grantees must certify that the department has collective bargaining approval.
An application signed by the mayor, City Council, and/or town administrator/chair of Board of Selectmen is required by the city or town.
More information and access to the application can be found here.