Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $200,000)
The Congressionally Selected Awards Program, authorized by the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-8), helps improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and/or assist victims of crime (other than compensation). Funds should be used for the projects selected by Congress, in the amounts specified in the joint explanatory statement incorporated by reference into Pub. L. 111-8, and generally consistent with one or more of the following statutory purposes: improving the functioning of the criminal justice system, preventing or combating juvenile delinquency, or assisting victims of crime (other than compensation). Each of these purposes is framed using language drawn, respectively, from the former Byrne discretionary statute, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Victims of Crime Act, and the Violence Against Women Act. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 09 Congressional Budget and by the joint explanatory statement that is incorporated by reference into the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act.
Clearfield City will use its Congressionally Selected award to purchase 26 dashboard cameras and lapel cameras for the officers of the Clearfield City Police Department. Funds will be used to pay for staff to set-up the technology for the system and to maintain the system's storage and file retrieval. The vendor that will be selected will install the equipment and provide training. Lastly, funds will be used to implement a portion of a new policy and procedures manual that will cover the use of the dashboard camera system.
The dashboard camera system will replace a VHS system that requires officers to download, catalog, and archive videos manually. Under the current system, videos are not secure and are able to be tampered with. The applicant also reports that the current recording system is also utilizing space on local servers that they are being overrun due to the video recordings. For the new system, digital video will be used, which will be impervious and will be more easily accessed for administrative use, evidence, and media access which allows the department to demonstrate to the community their impact. Administration will also be able to search the system by a variety of fields, such as date, time, officer, case number, and GPS coordinates. As officers will be able to spend less time downloading videos, they will be able to focus more on conducting other police work.
NCA/NCF