Acquisition of Body-Worn Cameras

This grant funding request is for the Atchison Kansas Police Department, a municipal law enforcement agency, to secure funding that will assure that a recently implemented body worn camera program will have adequate funding to acquire additional body cameras and equipment and needed server storage. The Atchison Police Department serves a population of 11,000. The department responds to an average of 13,000 calls each year.  

Body cameras have many benefits with the most important being that of accountability and transparency. This grant funding will ensure that the department will be able to provide body cameras for all of its officers as well as to purchase additional and replacement associated equipment as well as maintain adequate server storage for years to come. The department has established policies and procedures that will ensure recordings are made of activities and actions that officers are involved in. This grant funding will provide for additional and replacement computer hardware and software that will store camera recordings and a means for inventory, research, and dissemination.  

The goal of the body worn camera program is to ensure public trust by recording activities and actions of police officers.  It is to provide prosecutors with recordings that have an evidentiary significance for courtroom proceedings. It is to provide police supervisors with information that ensures compliance with department policies and procedures. It is to provide the department with a review of police conduct and actions that can help for training purposes. 

A body worn camera program will result in reduced citizen complaints regarding the use of force, harassment, and racial bias. It will ensure the department's philosophy of fair and equal treatment as well as adherence to policies and procedures on officer conduct and actions. It will improve police-community relations. And it will ensure public trust through transparency and accountability.