Ohio grant program awards $4.6M to various LE agencies to support body camera programs

AP Photo/Jim Mone

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday that nearly $4.6 million in new state funding will be distributed to law enforcement agencies across Ohio to support the purchase and expansion of body-worn camera systems, WKYC reported .

The grants are part of the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program, which has funded 400 agencies since its launch in 2021, according to the report. This latest round of funding will benefit 131 agencies statewide. Of those, 21 agencies will begin new bodycam programs, while others will use the funds to enhance existing systems.

“Body-worn cameras have become an essential tool in law enforcement, and I’m pleased that we can help more local agencies equip their officers with them,” DeWine stated. He also noted plans to continue the grant program in the upcoming biennium budget due to high demand.

Among the Northeast Ohio departments receiving funding:

• Cuyahoga County will see 20 departments benefit, including Euclid ($85,200), Mayfield Heights ($84,915) and Garfield Heights ($54,134). Six departments will start new bodycam programs, including Bentleyville and Brooklyn Heights.
• Lorain County’s largest award went to Lorain Police Department, which received nearly $100,000.
• Summit County departments received substantial grants, with Macedonia Police Department receiving $62,000 for a new bodycam program and Akron Police Department awarded $60,000.
• Stark County’s Jackson Township Police Department received the highest amount in the Northeast region at $106,483, while Canton Police Department was awarded just over $100,000.

Other recipients include departments in Medina, Lake, Portage and Ashland counties, according to the report.

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