A.G. Gancarski
A bill filed to Jacksonville City Council this week requests approval for nearly $1 million in federal funds for Jacksonville’s body worn camera program.
Ordinance 2017-884, filed at the request of Sheriff Mike Williams, would appropriate $997,956 from the Department of Justice; a local match of the same amount would be provided.
The fact sheet for the bill offers an outline of how the program will work in Jacksonville.
Federal grant funds will cover conference travel for staffers, as well as the purchase and use of 1,113 cameras.
Also included: a five-year warranty, a mid-cycle technology upgrade, spare cameras and — importantly — unlimited data storage.
Pre-implementation, there were worries that data storage would be prohibitive. As a remedy earlier this year, JSO got $2.7 million to update outmoded mainframe computers.
Local monies will go through JSO, and will fund a BWC unit, which will contain a lieutenant, a sergeant, four field officers, three help desk techs and two part-time logistics coordinators (to be funded for 826 hours).
All members of the unit will work “100 percent of their time” on the BWC “project.”
