Ohio police get federal grant to replace body cameras

Brittany Schock
Richland Source

SHELBY, Ohio — Shelby City Council on Monday evening unanimously passed an emergency resolution to apply for a grant with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

The grant funds must be used to purchase body-worn cameras and require a 1:1 match by the grantee. According to Chief Lance Combs, replacing the department's cameras that have failed would take about $10,000; with the grant, it would cost the department $5,000.

The ultimate goal is for the department to upgrade their entire body camera system, a process that Combs estimates to cost around $100,000. With a citywide spending freeze and local service clubs and foundations struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Combs realized such an upgrade wasn't in the cards this year.

Full story: Shelby police to replace, upgrade officer body cameras