Pilot Deployment of Body-Worn Cameras in the Alexandria Police Department

The Alexandria Police Department (APD) requests consideration for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJB), Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grant/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program in the amount of $600,000.  Funding from this grant would support the broad-scale implementation of a new preliminary Body-worn Camera (BWC) program.

The Alexandria Police Department is the only full-service law enforcement agency in the Northern Virginia region that does not have a BWC program, and further, one of the last remaining in the National Capital Region (DC, MD, & VA). The Alexandria Police Department hopes to secure grant funding so we can ensure all future law enforcement encounters are supported by BWC technology.

The Alexandria Police Department has completed comprehensive research regarding the impacts of a BWC program. Through this research, we determined that BWCs can be used to enhance officer safety, support evidentiary efficacy, promote transparency, and increase officer accountability. This technology can undoubtedly improve the high-quality public service expected – and further, enhance trust, transparency, accountability, and feelings of procedural justice. The Alexandria Police Department anticipates BWC technology will support our goals of promoting civil rights and equality, increasing access to justice, supporting crime victims and individuals involved with the justice system, strengthening community safety, protecting the public from crime and evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and the community.

The Alexandria Police Department is fully prepared to implement a robust, comprehensive, and responsible BWC program. Grant assistance would facilitate the following products and deliverables:

Require each meaningful law enforcement encounter to be supported by BWC technology.
Acquire comprehensive technology that can accurately record and maintain evidence of police/citizen interactions, arrests, and critical incidents.
Demonstrate transparency, accountability, and procedural justice to our community.
Establish policy and workflows that support officer interaction and engagement with a BWC technology solution.
Leverage BWC technology to guard against and address improper officer actions, protect officers from erroneous complaints, and identify matters requiring additional training.
Enhance accuracy and efficiency for the adjudication of criminal, traffic, and civil matters.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.