CPD Body Worn Camera Expansion Project

The City of Charleston Police Department is seeking $180,000 in grant funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 21 Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to support the enhancement of the body worn camera project solution currently being utilized by the department.  The Charleston Police Department plans to purchase a total of 180 body worn cameras that will replace older, outdated technology, as well as provide the quantity needed to allow a camera to be assigned to every officer working in uniform that has contact with the community members they serve.  The main goal of this project is to increase the transparency capabilities of the department to continue to build trusting relationships with all citizens of our city.

Body worn cameras have been found to be a valuable tool for law enforcement in helping to create trusting relationships with the community members they serve.  The audio and video provided by the body worn cameras is an objective and visual record of interactions that can capture evidence in the event of a crime, police-citizen interaction or use-of-force incident.   These videos can also be used as a teaching tool to train the officers verbal communication and interview skills, body language cues, as well as officer safety.