A total of 112 law enforcement agencies will receive grant funding as part of the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program. Of those agencies, 44 will use funding to create new body-worn camera programs, including Springfield, and 68 agencies will dedicate funding toward expanding or upgrading existing technology, according to a governor’s office press release.
“We’re pleased to receive Gov. DeWine’s announcement that the Springfield Police Division has been awarded more than $162,000 for the purchase of body-worn cameras and supporting equipment,” said Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck.
Heck said details remain to be worked out regarding purchasing and implementation, including the number of cameras the police division can acquire using the money, “but we plan to move forward with this program as soon as possible.”
Springfield NAACP president Denise Williams said she’s happy to see funding for body cameras coming to Springfield’s police force.
“It’s music to my ears,” she said. “It’s past time. I’m here for the community in its entirety, and this will protect everyone.”
In his statement, DeWine shared a similar view.
“Body cameras are an essential tool for policing, and the funds we’re awarding today will help agencies purchase around 1,660 new body cameras and associated technology,” said DeWine. “Body cameras are important not only for providing transparency to the public but also for adding an extra layer of protection for our officers.”
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office implemented body cameras about six years ago.
Springfield officials have for years expressed interest in body cameras but said the cost of acquiring them prevented that. The Community Police Advisory Team, which works to strengthen relationships between Springfield officers and the community they serve, also had called for the adoption of body cameras.
In Champaign County, the Mechanicsburg Police Department and St. Paris Police Department were awarded grants in this funding round. Mechanicsburg will receive $11,273 and Saint Paris will receive $5,218, according to the governor’s office.
The grants represent the second round of funding awarded as part of the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program. The first round of grants, announced in January, provided funding to help 109 local law enforcement agencies purchase around 1,700 body cameras and related equipment.
The Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program is part of DeWine’s ongoing efforts to help outfit Ohio’s law enforcement agencies with body camera technology. DeWine launched the program in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly in the state’s 2022-2023 operating budget.
The grant program totals $10 million over the biennium, according to the release.
Ohio’s Office of Criminal Justice Services, which is administering the grant program, received $11.4 million worth of grant requests for this round of funding.
All qualifying agencies that applied for grants to establish new body-worn camera programs received funding, and the remaining funds went to existing programs to upgrade aging cameras, add storage capacity, or hire record-retention personnel, according to the release.
The following area law enforcement agencies also received grants:
· Xenia Police Division: $27,700
· Beavercreek Police Department: $15,950
· Yellow Springs Police Department: $14,472
· City of Troy: $71,790
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