Wichita police get $250,000 federal grant for body-worn cameras
The Wichita Police Department is getting $250,000 in federal funding for body-worn cameras.
The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday announced that the agency received a $250,000 grant – one of three awarded in Kansas to buy the cameras, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said in a news release.
The grants, given to applicants with a strong implementation plan and training policy, are part of President Obama’s push to buy 50,000 body-worn cameras for law enforcement over a three-year period. The money can be used only to buy equipment, and agencies have to match the Justice Department’s contribution.
In addition to Wichita police, Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., received $352,500 for body cameras, and the Dodge City Police Department received $45,205, Grissom said.
The Wichita Police Department in June recommended the city buy a $2.2 million system, which includes body-worn cameras for more than 400 patrol officers, to use for the next five years.
The city has said it is on track to implement the cameras by the end of the year.
The Kansas agencies are among 73 law enforcement departments in 32 states awarded grants for body cameras on Monday by U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. The grants total $23.2 million.
Reach Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com. Follow her on Twitter: @amyreneeleiker.
This story was originally published September 21, 2015 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Wichita police get $250,000 federal grant for body-worn cameras."