The Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services (COPS) recognized a
continuing need for safety and
accountability in law enforcement with
the In-Car Camera grant program. The In-
Car Camera program has provided more
than 5,000 vehicle-based video camera
systems to law enforcement agencies
since fiscal year 2000. These in-car
cameras deter assaults on officers,
provide evidence in trials, offer excellent
training resources, increase law
enforcement accountability, and help
build an agency's credibility within the
community it serves. COPS has awarded
more than $21 million to 49 state law
enforcement agencies and the District of
Columbia through the In-Car Camera
program.
Background
COPS began implementing the In-Car
Camera program in fiscal year 2000 with
$12 million. Requests for these grants far
exceeded available resources.
Appropriations allowed COPS to offer
these grants again in fiscal years 2001,
2002, and 2003.
COPS In-Car Camera Grant Program
COPS awarded nearly $3.2 million
through the In-Car Camera program
during fiscal year 2003. COPS also
provides training to current In-Car
Camera grantees. This training helps law
enforcement professionals maximize the
effectiveness of the cameras and use in-
car cameras to foster a higher level of
professionalism among grantees.
Specialized training courses offered by the
Law Enforcement Mobile Video Institute
(LEMVI) directly confront issues such as
racial profiling, police brutality, civil
rights violations, police integrity, and lack
of public trust. The instructors of LEMVI
have been providing training to police
personnel on in-car videotaping since
1988.
Finally, COPS partnered with the
International Association of Chiefs of
Police to fund an evaluation of the In-Car
Camera program. This evaluation will
determine how effective the cameras have
been in increasing officer safety,
improving conviction rates, reducing
citizen complaints, and preventing racial
profiling.
For more information about COPS’
In-Car Camera program, please visit
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