NAHANT – The Baker administration announced on Monday that nearly $2.5 million in grant funding will be used to increase the number of law enforcement officers outfitted with body-worn cameras across the Commonwealth. Nahant Police Department received $33,149 from the grant.
The FY23 Body-Worn Cameras (BWC) Grant Program awarded $2,494,752.40 to 32 municipal departments across Massachusetts to implement or expand BWC programs. Every department that applied for this year’s grant program received either full or partial funding through a competitive application process administered by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), an agency that is part of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS).
“With these grant awards, our administration is expanding resources for local departments to expand the implementation of body-worn cameras which are an important tool to enhance accountability, improve investigations and strengthen relationships between police and the communities they serve,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The investment we’re making in these programs today will help create safer communities for years to come.”
“Strong relationships between police and the communities they protect are vital to ensuring public safety. Body-worn cameras help increase improve trust in these relationships and help make everyone safer. These grants are an important investment in our communities,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.
“Body-worn cameras are a transformative tool for law enforcement. This technology strengthens transparency and accountability while promoting best practices and improving police-community relations,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy.
According to Timothy Furlong, the Chief of the Nahant Police Department, $33,149 is going to bring them 26 new body-worn cameras. It will take four to six weeks to order the cameras. These new cameras will help them improve administrative work.
“These grants provide law enforcement departments across the state the financial resources needed to purchase this technology and better serve their communities. The OGR is proud to partner with our local municipalities to help improve public safety through innovative initiatives like the BWC Grant Program,” said Executive Director Kevin Stanton.
