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(Photo/Alex Kielar) BPD Police Chief Blake Johnson at the Breckenridge City Commission meeting Tuesday, Oct. 14. The city of Breckenridge announced at the meeting that they have received a Criminal Justice Division grant through the governor’s Public Safety Office for the implementation of new body-worn cameras for all 11 officers of the police department.
The Breckenridge Police Department will be equipped with new body cameras after receiving a grant for the purchase of the equipment.
The Breckenridge City Commission authorized applying for the Criminal Justice Division grant through Gov. Greg Abbott’s office Tuesday, Feb. 4 with the deadline for application Thursday, Feb. 13.
City Manager Cynthia Northrop announced at the Tuesday, Oct. 14 meeting that they received the grant, administered by the governor’s Public Safety Office (PSO).
Northrop said that it is a 75/25% match grant for $65,741, while they had originally requested for $137,242.85. The 75% covered by the grant is $49,305.75, while the 25% city responsibility is $16,435.25.
The grant is for 11 body cams from Axon, in order to provide one for each officer of the police department. Northrop said that Axon is the top of the line, latest technology body cams.
“It has two charging and download stations, insurance for damaged equipment and unlimited storage,” she said.
The grant is for one year and the city will again apply in two years to maintain the funding for the cameras. The need to go out for the grant was first brought to the city’s attention by BPD Police Chief Blake Johnson and Sergeant Justin Shockley at the Tuesday, Feb. 4 meeting. Commissioner Greg Akers made the motion to authorize the grant application and it passed unanimously, 3-0.
“They (BPD) received the equipment Monday, (Oct. 13) and they are scheduled for training on how to use the equipment with the vendor–Axon,” Northrop said. “They will conduct training over the next several weeks.”
The total funds made available across the state for body-worn cameras through PSO was $10 million. PSO screened all applicants to ensure that they met all requirements for the funding. Applications were then reviewed by PSO staff members or a review group selected by the executive director, according to the fund announcement.
“PSO will make all final funding decisions based on eligibility, reasonableness, availability of funding, geographic distribution, cost effectiveness or other relevant factors,” the announcement stated. “The office of the governor may not fund all applications or may only award part of the amount requested.”
