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New Hampshire Officials Announce $1.2M in Body Camera Funds

Local and regional law enforcement agencies are being encouraged to apply for up to $50,000 in state grants to offset the costs associated with buying and maintaining body cameras and other programmatic needs.

New Hampshire State Capitol
New Hampshire State Capitol
Shutterstock/Olivier Le Queinec
(TNS) — Approximately $1.2 million in additional grant funding is available for local and county law enforcement agencies to use towards the purchase of body-worn and dashboard cameras, state officials said Wednesday.

The grant funds will help selected agencies defray some of the costs associated with equipping officers and vehicles with cameras, Department of Safety Commissioner Robert L. Quinn and Attorney General John M. Formella said in a news release.

Grantees may be reimbursed, up to $50,000, for the purchase of body-worn or dashboard cameras, software maintenance for the cameras, and maintenance and storage of data related to the cameras. Additional stipulations apply, including prohibited uses.

The Legislature enacted RSA 105-D:3 on July 1, 2021, to establish the Body-Worn and Dashboard Camera Fund and authorized the Department of Safety and the Department of Justice to jointly establish rules governing the funds. Those rules, N.H. Admin R. Saf-C 9700, took effect Jan. 28.

The fund encourages local law enforcement agencies to use the technology to improve officer safety and transparency in New Hampshire.

"This was a key component of our LEACT Commission's recommendations, and represents another step the state is taking to ensure and promote public safety and public accountability," Gov. Chris Sununu said said in a statement. " New Hampshire law enforcement remains the gold standard across the country, and it is because of their collaborative work with the LEACT Commission that we can move forward on these crucial initiatives."

The deadline for law enforcement agencies to apply is Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 12 p.m.

"These additional grant funds will continue to assist our law enforcement agencies across the state in protecting all officers who put their lives at risk on a daily basis, and enhance trust with the public they serve," said Quinn in a statement.

In June the Executive Council approved state funding for 29 police departments to spend on body camera systems, opening the door for departments to acquire $719,646 in matching grants.

Amherst, Derry, Keene, Rochester, and Salem each received full $50,000 awards, while New London got $49,560 and the Cheshire County Sheriff's Office received $47,500.

Smaller towns also received funding, such as Chester, Hinsdale, and Pembroke.

Body cameras transfer video footage to a digital video recorder in each cruiser and are uploaded wirelessly to the storage system when the cruiser is at one of 31 "designated offload sites" across the state, according to the governor's office.

"This grant will provide local law enforcement agencies with funds to access devices that enhance the safety of officers and the public," said AG Formella. "These tools promote public accountability and transparency, and are an important tool for prosecutors in seeking justice on behalf of the citizens of New Hampshire. I applaud the work of so many in making these devices a reality for law enforcement agencies across the state."

Grant applications can be found at https://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/homeland/body-camera-grant/index.html

©2022 The New Hampshire Union Leader, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.