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Grant Highlights
The Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program (BWC PIP) is intended to help law enforcement agencies develop, implement, and evaluate a BWC program as one tool in a comprehensive approach to enhance officer interactions with the public and build community trust. Successful applicants must demonstrate that they have evaluated their agency’s existing evidence and practices related to increasing accountability and transparency and will set goals and develop strategies, including use of BWCs, that will improve outcomes during police-citizen encounters. Policy and practices are expected to address technology usage, evidence acquisition, data storage and retention, as well as privacy issues, accountability, and discipline.
- Up to 28 awards, with an estimated total of $20 million
- Eligible applicants include state, local and tribal government agencies that perform law enforcement and criminal justice functions
- Applications due May 31, 2018
- 50% in-kind or cash match
- Project period is 36 months, starting October 1, 2018
Funding Categories
Category 1: Implementation or Expansion of BWC Programs through State or Regional Consortia
- 5 awards anticipated for a total of $7,000,000.
- State agencies (e.g., state police, State Administering Agencies), regional law enforcement authorities, or major city or county agencies, acting on behalf of a joint partnership or consortia.
- Maximum allowable request of $1,400,000 and minimum request of $200,000. Must plan to purchase at least 150 BWCs.
- Agencies requiring less than 50 BWCs and those that do not meet the minimum funding threshold 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 subgrantees.
- Applications must be submitted by the primary agency that will be responsible for all administrative, fiscal, and reporting requirements associated with BWC PIP.
Category 2: Implementation or Expansion of BWC Programs for Mid-Sized Agencies
- 12 awards anticipated for a total of $4,000,000.
- Agencies with more than 50 and up to 250 sworn officers.
- Applicants may request no more than $400,000.
Category 3: Implementation or Expansion of BWC Program for Large Agencies
- 8 awards anticipated for a total of $6,000,000.
- Large police agencies with more than 250 and up to 1,000 sworn officers.
- Applicants may request no more than $600,000.
Category 4: Implementation or Expansion of BWC Program for Extra-Large Agencies
- 3 awards anticipated for a total of $3,000,000.
- Extra-large police agencies with more than 1,000 sworn officers.
- Applicants may request no more than $1,000,000 under this category.
Funding Priorities and Guidelines
- Partnership Economies of Scale: Priority consideration will be given to applicants that demonstrate cost reductions through economies of scale, such as establishing or utilizing shared resources.
- Technical Considerations: Priority consideration will be given to applicants that incorporate the 18 core operating characteristics, found on the National Institute of Justice website.
- Partnership Outreach: Applicants should clearly document their efforts to reach out to and involve external stakeholders in their BWC policy development and implementation programs. Applicants that specifically budget funds for outreach, training, or collaboration with prosecutors’ offices will be given priority consideration. Applicants that attach letters from local prosecutors (or state level equivalents) will also be given priority consideration.
- Considerations for Implementation: The program narrative must include a detailed, phased implementation plan for achieving the objectives of the BWC PIP. A good resource to help in developing this narrative is the “Considerations for Implementation” section contained in the COPS/PERF “Implementing a Body-Worn Camera Program.” These include, among others:
- Data storage policies – security, reliability, cost and technical capacity
- Using a data storage system that has a built-in audit trail to prevent data tampering and unauthorized access.
- Using a data storage system that has a reliable method for automatically backing up data.
- Factors for determining storage location include security concerns, reliable methods for backing up data, chain-ofcustody issues, and capacity for data storage. Cloud storage is fine as long as chain-of-custody can be established.
- Data retention policies – privacy concerns; evidentiary vs. non-evidentiary video
- Reviewing and tagging recorded data is time-consuming and prone to error so one best practice was to work with the camera manufacturer to develop an automated process that links the recorded data to the agency’s records management system. Some camera systems can also be linked to electronic tablets that officers can use to review and tag recorded data while still in the field.
- Public disclosure policies – FOIA laws
- Cost of implementation – managing data storage costs
- Data storage policies – security, reliability, cost and technical capacity
- Documentation of cross-agency collaboration: Evidence of cross-agency collaboration and a high level of commitment from participating agencies and entities should be documented via memoranda of understanding or other appropriate mechanisms.
- Mandatory application requirements include:
- Prosecutor Involvement: Applicants must demonstrate significant involvement of the local and/or state prosecutor’s office, meaning that the prosecutor’s office has a direct role with law enforcement in establishing relevant policy, system requirements that affect prosecution, evidence management, redaction, and retention specifications.
- Review of BWC Digital Footage for Enhancing Officer Safety: Applicant must attach certain documentation affirming that it will periodically review and assess BWC digital footage for purposes of refining BWC use in a manner that optimizes officer safety.
Allowable Costs
- Applicants may request no more than $1,500 for each camera to be deployed. $1,500 is not the expected cost of a bodyworn camera. Paired with the matching funds, it is the expected total program costs for one camera system to include: camera, storage, software, licenses, services, policy development, training, etc.
- Awarded funds may be used for any part of the BWC program other than line-item storage costs, which may 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.
- Funds for the expansion of existing programs should be used for camera and the associated hardware, software licenses, and contractual agreements directly related to program expansion. These funds may not be used to extend maintenance and support services for existing resources.
Body Worn Camera Solutions Available from Motorola Solutions
- Si500 Video Speaker Microphone: Ensure your officers have a fully integrated solution with this 3-in-1 device. The Si500 Video Speaker Microphone combines a police body camera with a remote speaker-microphone and touchscreen smart device, for intuitive capture, storage and management of video, audio and image evidence. It works closely with the APX™ two-way radio platform to ensure seamless information-capture, and presents a unified user interface to the officer. The transfer of evidence to CommandCentral Vault is fast and secure, and delivers an unbroken chain of custody. With a design focused on flexibility and wearability, the Si500 is made for the mission.
- CommandCentral Vault: A cloud-based digital evidence management application that meets CJIS standards. It’s designed to reduce administrative overhead, simplify digital storage challenges and maintain agency policies. With advanced content management capabilities, CommandCentral Vault automates and streamlines the handling of body-worn camera video at every step from review and manage to redact and share. Agency workflows become more efficient with automated uploads, tagging, content grouping, and innovative rapid redaction.
How to Apply
Applications should be submitted using Standard Form 424 through www.grants.gov and must include: Project Abstract, Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative.
The complete grant solicitation may be found at: https://www.bja.gov/funding/BWC18.pdf
We Can Help You
The grant application process can be challenging to navigate. To help you, Motorola Solutions has partnered with the grant experts at PoliceGrantsHelp.com. Their team of funding experts can help your agency identify which areas you are eligible for, answer questions and offer insights on how to write an effective application. Also, additional information and resources can be found on our website: www.motorolasolutions.com/govgrants.