Police awarded grant toward body camera program
TROY, N.Y. >> New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced more than $1 million has been awarded to 13 law enforcement agencies toward creating and expanding body camera programs.
Included among those awarded in the Capital Region are the Troy Police Department and Albany County Sheriff’s Office.
“The Troy Police Department has worked tirelessly with stakeholders from the police department, city administration and community leaders regarding the implementation of a police body worn camera program. The availability of a Body Cam grant from the NYS Attorney General’s Office was seen as a way to help us jump start our program. Having been chosen as an awardee is not only helpful financially, but also shows a sense of ideological support from the NYS AG in the department’s efforts to have a successful program. The Troy Police Department is thankful for the award,” Troy Police Department Chief Brian Owens said of the award of $69,600 for 96 bodyworn cameras in a statement.
The Troy PBA is 100 percent supportive of the program. Troy PBA President Nicholas Laviano says he’s confident in Chief Owens’ leadership on a slow and thorough roll out and in the same breath hopes city officials are fully invested and making sure the program is done the correct way.
“It’s great that we got the grants. It’s going to help us out purchasing the equipment that needs to be purchased. I think a lot of people don’t realize what actually has to go into it. You have to purchase the cameras, purchase the mounts that go on the police officer’s vest,” Laviano noted of what goes into the technology costs.
Laviano also pointed out how the Police Department is in need of updates from their 2007 desk- top computers which crash on basic email checks and at least 50 city cameras throughout the Collar City that don’t work. Plus, a 2015 dash cam program that was never fully invested in.
“If we had those in- car cameras all three of our police officer involved shootings would’ve been caught on camera. You would’ve seen that it was justified and you wouldn’t have speculation that the cop did this or did that, there’d be no room for any doubt that the cops did their job,” Laviano noted of the lack of full investments from prior administrations.
“The PBA is for body cam- eras, we know that they’re going to help us out. I just have a feeling that the City Council and the Mayor’s Office doesn’t realize that the cost that’s going to go into it as an annual cost and it’s not going to make our job any easier, it’s not going to make police officers any safer, all it’s going to do is show you what we’ve been telling everybody what’s been happening on the street since we’ve been police officers,” Laviano added of the costs needed to ensure the program runs smoothly.
“We’re all for it we just want to make sure it’s done the correct way. The way I’m looking at it is I want my guys and girls to be protected. I don’t want them to have a body camera that they think is on that when they go to turn it on there’s a malfunction because that’s what’s happening right now with the city cameras,” Laviano said of the need for technology that’s fully functional.
Troy Mayor Patrick Madden was additionally grateful for the grant funding.
“The Troy Police Department has continued to embrace new technologies to address the rapidly- changing environment and challenges of modern policing. With the assistance of the State Attorney General’s office, the department is positioned to move forward with the deployment of body cameras to assist our officers in their daily responsibilities
while increasing transparency and strengthening the trust between the community and the department. We extend our thanks to the State Attorney General’s office for their financial assistance in making this program possible in our community,” Madden said in a statement of Troy being awarded grant money toward establishing the program.
Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello echoed the sentiments of Owens and Madden in a statement.
“I am pleased our city’s police force received a $69,600 grant for body cams. This is something I and a couple minority Council Members have been supporting for three years, and in fact, supported the city’s local share of $250,000. I will anticipate we move forward expeditiously on this matter, and have our police force equipped with body cams in the immediate future. This will benefit both our police department and all of Troy residents,” Mantella noted of the grant.
“The mayor’s announcement that the city has been awarded grants by the New York State Office of Attorney General for the body camera program aligns with the recommendations of a recent Attorney General report on policy changes needed here in Troy,” Councilmember and chair of the Public Safety Committee David Bissember said of the announcement. “I look forward to reviewing the Troy Police Department’s policy on the use of body cameras as they work to implement this new measure,” Bissember added.
As for Albany County, the Sheriff’s Office receives $69,151 for 43 body-worn camera systems, six bodyworn camera docking stations, and other body-worn camera accessories.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple appeared as equally pleased as his counterparts across the river when commenting on the grant funds being awarded toward Albany County’s body camera program.
“The Albany County Sheriff’s Office is very fortunate to be a recipient of funding from the New York State Attorney General’s Office through their CAMS Program. This funding will allow our agency to develop a policy which parallels our present InCar Cameras system, purchase body cameras, train our members and deploy the cameras in the field. With the deployment of this new program, we will be able to utilize this new tool to expand our abilities to memorialize events and thus enhance our capabilities to provide valuable information to prosecutors. I would like to thank New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood for giving us this opportunity,” Sheriff Apple noted in a statement on the award.