Deadline: Feb. 16, 2017
BJA FY2017 Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program – Law Enforcement – First Responder Grants : http://firstrespondergrants.com/frg_grants/grant_view/grant/236
$17,000,000 for Law Enforcement Body Worn Cameras (BWCs)
Individual agency awards up to $1,000,000
The FY2017 Body Worn Camera (BWC) Policy and Implementation Program will support the implementation, including the purchase, deployment, maintenance, data storage, and policy development of a body-worn camera program, and the necessary policies for law enforcement agencies. The program will play a critical role in the creation, implementation, and evaluation of problem solving approaches that incorporate BWCs into officer practice in selected jurisdictions.
BJA is soliciting applications from law enforcement agencies to develop a comprehensive, problem-solving approach that incorporates BWCs into officer practice by implementing a first-time program or enhancing an existing BWC program that includes the following elements:
- Implementation of a BWC program developed in a planned and phased approach that first achieves broad stakeholder, local political leadership, and community engagement, and then leverages partnership input to address policy, training, deployment, and procurement requirements.
- Implementation of appropriate privacy policies that, at a minimum, address BWC program issues involving civil rights, domestic violence, juveniles, and victims’ groups, and legal liabilities of release of information.
- Implementation of operational procedures and tracking mechanisms that address the use, review, access, storage, retention, redaction, and expungement of digital voice and audio evidence.
- Training of officers, administrators, and associated agencies requiring access to
digital multimedia evidence (DME).
What this grant does for your agency
Successful applicants will develop and implement policies and practices required for effective program adoption, and will address program factors including the purchase, deployment, and maintenance of camera systems and equipment; data storage and access; and privacy considerations. BJA expects the BWC programs to make a positive impact on the quality of policing in these jurisdictions and to inform national efforts to improve the use of BWCs more broadly. While BWC equipment may be purchased under this program, successful applicants must demonstrate a commitment and adherence to a strong BWC policy framework, including comprehensive policy adoption and requisite training.
Agencies awarded the BJA FY2017 Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program receive grants as follows
- Category 1: Implementation or Expansion of BWC Programs for Small Agencies. Seeks to establish new or expand existing BWC programs in police agencies with 25 or fewer sworn officers. Applicants may request no more than $50,000 under this category. BJA estimates 40 awards will be made in this category for an estimated total amount of $2,000,000. There is a minimum request of $10,000 for this category. If an agency does not require this level of funding they are encouraged to partner with other criminal justice agencies to combine projects and have one of the agencies act as the applicant while the partner agencies act as subrecipients. This category is not restricted by the $1,500 camera metric, though peer reviewers and BJA will consider the cost ratio of requested funds to the number of body-worn cameras.
- Category 2: Implementation or Expansion of BWC Programs for Mid-Sized Agencies. Seeks to establish new or expand existing BWC programs in mid-sized
police agencies with more than 25 sworn officers and up to 250 sworn officers. Applicants may request no more than $400,000 under this category. BJA estimates 10 awards will be made in this category for an estimated total amount of $4,000,000. Applicants for this category may request no more than $1,500 for each camera to be deployed in this phase of their BWC program, up to the agency size funding limitations. Though funds are correlated to the number of cameras, awarded funds may also be used for any part of the BWC program other than line-item data storage costs, which can only be covered with matching funds. BWC systems that are bundled or sold as software-as-a-service (SAAS) with no line-item distinction to data storage costs are permissible for award funding. - Category 3: Implementation or Expansion of BWC Programs for Large Agencies. Seeks to establish new or expand existing BWC programs in large police agencies with more than 250 and up to 1,000 sworn officers. Eight awards are anticipated, and applicants may request no more than $750,000 for an estimated total amount of $6,000,000 under this category. Applicants for this category may request no more than $1,500 for each camera to be deployed in this phase of their BWC program, up to the agency size funding limitations. Though funds are correlated to the number of cameras, awarded funds may also be used for any part of the BWC program other than line-item data storage
costs, which can only be covered with matching funds. BWC systems that are bundled
or sold as software-as-a-service (SAAS) with no line-item distinction to data storage
costs are permissible for award funding. - Category 4: Implementation or Expansion of BWC Programs for Extra-Large Agencies. Seeks to establish new or expand existing BWC programs in extra-large
police agencies with more than 1,000 sworn officers. Five awards are anticipated, and applicants may request no more than $1,000,000 for an estimated total of $5,000,000 under this category. Applicants for this category may request no more than $1,500 for each camera to be deployed in this phase of their BWC program, up to the agency size funding limitations. Though funds are correlated to the number of cameras, awarded funds may also be used for any part of the BWC program other than line-item data storage costs, which can only be covered with matching funds. BWC systems that are bundled or sold as software-as-a-service (SAAS) with no line-item distinction to data storage costs are permissible for award funding. - Note: $1,500 is not the expected cost of a body-worn camera. Paired with the matching funds, it is the expected total program costs for one (1) camera system to include: Camera, Storage, Software, Licenses, Services, Policy Development, Training, etc.
Only a limited number of grants will be awarded.
Grant Eligibility
For full eligibility details, see the Grant Guidelines:
- County governments
- State governments
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- City or township governments.
About the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
BJA’s mission is to provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support local, state, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities. BJA supports programs and initiatives in the areas of law enforcement, justice information sharing, countering terrorism, managing offenders, combating drug crime and abuse, adjudication, advancing tribal justice, crime prevention, protecting vulnerable populations, and capacity building. More
Grant Deadline
Grant applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. EST, Thurs., Feb. 16, 2016.
Apply
Funding Opportunity Number: BJA-2017-11221. Apply for the BJA FY2017 Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program