BOSTON (WWLP) – The Baker-Polito Administration announced $2.5 million in grant funding to increase the number of law enforcement officers across the Commonwealth to wear body-worn cameras on Monday.
According to a news release sent to 22News from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, this year’s award marks the second year that state grant funding has been made for body-worn camera programs.
The FY23 Body-Worn Cameras (BWC) Grant Program awarded $2,494,752.40 to 32 municipal departments across Massachusetts to implement BWC programs. Every department that applied for this year’s grant program got either full or partial funding through an application process that was administered by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), which is 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 and improve trust in these relationships and help make everyone safer. These grants are an important investment in our communities,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.
Back in 2021, the Baker-Polito Administration awarded $4 million to help implement local police department’s body-worn camera programs as part of a 5-year, $20 million investment in the technology all across Massachusetts. This year’s BWC grants are a continuation of that commitment. The funding will allow 27 departments to have new body-worn camera programs in 2023 and allow five departments to expand existing programs.
“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.
“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.
These departments received funding for body-worn camera programs:
| Department | Proposed Award |
| Athol Police Department | $30,932.29 |
| Barre Police Department | $30,352.80 |
| Boxborough Police Department | $22,908.00 |
| Charlton Police Department | $78,604.97 |
| Cheshire Police Department | $26,196.90 |
| Dalton Police Department | $129,368.00 |
| Dennis Police Department | $100,900.00 |
| Dighton Police Department | $51,415.00 |
| East Bridgewater Police Department | $221,584.00 |
| Easton Police Department | $54,237.00 |
| Easthampton Police Department | $14,414.01 |
| Fitchburg Police Department | $108,041.90 |
| Hanover Police Department | $110,702.71 |
| Hingham Police Department | $137,172.05 |
| Lawrence Police Department | $249,890.00 |
| Malden Police Department | $38,250.00 |
| Mansfield Police Department | $96,543.92 |
| Mattapoisett Police Department | $78,415.00 |
| Nahant Police Department | $33,149.00 |
| Nantucket Police Department | $39,888.00 |
| North Adams Police Department | $94,492.00 |
| North Attleboro Police Department | $67,950.00 |
| North Reading Police Department | $133,994.98 |
| Paxton Police Department | $39,264.00 |
| Pittsfield Police Department | $166,586.73 |
| Randolph Police Department | $34,750.00 |
| Rockland Police Department | $60,085.66 |
| Salem Police Department | $23,555.00 |
| Southborough Police Department | $78,547.98 |
| Truro Police Department | $39,923.80 |
| Williamstown Police Department | $18,941.80 |
| Winthrop Police Department | $83,695.00 |
| TOTAL | $2,494,752.40 |