Osceola County Sheriff ’s Office seeks a federal grant to help cover the purchase of 150 body cameras, one of the last law-enforcement agencies in Central Florida without the technology for most patrol deputies.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, one of the last big law-enforcement agencies in Central Florida without body cameras for most patrol deputies, is poised to outfit more people with the technology.

The agency applied for a U.S. Department of Justice grant worth more than $500,000, seeking 150 body camera systems to fully equip deputies in the traffic and patrol divisions.

The cameras come in a bundle that includes in-car cameras as well. The agency would contribute $1.15 million to the rollout.

Law-enforcement agencies across the region have turned to body-worn cameras in a move toward transparency as well as collecting crucial evidence for prosecution.

The cameras have been credited for providing clarity in officer-involved shootings, citizen complaints and other disputes.

A 2018 Orlando Sentinel analysis found sheriff’s offices in Volusia, Orange and Seminole counties have added hundreds of devices since 2014. Lake County has just two body cameras and Osceola has 40 body cameras.

Last year, Maitland and Eatonville purchased the cameras, while police departments in Leesburg and Winter Park so far have resisted. The Osceola Sheriff’s Office anticipates an answer from the Department of Justice by Sept. 30, said Jane Demeulenaere, a grant writer for the agency.

The agency has requested $300,000 in grant money to help cover the cost of equipment — which also includes a tablet, video storage, around-the-clock technical support and a five-year warranty — as well as about $235,000 toward salary and benefits for a pair of digital public-records specialists.

The cameras were a priority for Sheriff Russell Gibson when he ran for office in 2016. He formed a committee to study various cameras and their usage.

Gibson, a Democrat, is up for re-election in 2020. Mike Fisher and Marco Lopez, two other Democrats, have filed to run against him.

Gibson declined to answer questions about the program.

Osceola County Commission Chairwoman Cheryl Grieb signed a letter of support for the grant request, stating the cameras would aide in community policing.

“We are confident that bodyworn camera program will continue to improve evidence collection and transparency as well as saving thousands in court costs for investigations and court appearances,” the letter states.