(MARION, IN) October 3rd, 2019 – The Marion Police Department has been awarded a grant saving the City over a third of the cost for body cameras for all police officers. The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the City of Marion Police Department $130,000 to defray the overall cost of $370,000 for the body cameras.
Capt. Steve Scott had been tending grants through the Department of Justice, which already provides half the funding for MPD’s bullet-proof vests each year, and discovered the grant opportunity for body cameras. His research was a culmination of MPD and City administration’s years of studying body camera implementation and evaluating best products. Capt. Scott then wrote an application for the grant which he described as very competitive and challenging.
Scott explained that with body cameras MPD can record evidence and utilize them in any public contact, whether reactive or proactive. The cameras record HD video and audio.
MPD will go before the Board of Public Works & Safety on Monday, October 28th to finalize implementation of the body camera purchase program. The remaining balance for the cameras is intended to be financed through a 5-year plan.