CFDA#
16.835
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Funder Type
Federal Government
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IT Classification
A - Primarily intended to fund technology
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Authority
Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Summary
Through the Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to Support Law Enforcement Agencies (BWCPIP-LEA) BJA seeks to support the purchase and lease of body-worn cameras (BWCs) by publicly funded law enforcement and corrections agencies as part of comprehensive BWC programs guided by sound policy and broad stakeholder input. In addition, the solicitation seeks to support demonstration projects that advance digital evidence management, leveraging BWC digital footage to promote evidence-based and procedurally just practices in agencies with established BWC programs.
Funding under this category supports law enforcement agencies seeking to establish or expand comprehensive BWC programs that have specified plans to implement this technology in a manner that maximizes the benefits of BWCs in that law enforcement setting.
In 2024, BWC funding falls into five (5) categories:
- Category 1: : Site-based Awards to Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), including self-initiated partnership applications - Funding under this category supports law enforcement agencies seeking to establish or expand comprehensive BWC programs that have specified plans to implement this technology in a manner that maximizes the benefits of BWCs in that law enforcement setting. As part of their proposal, the applicant must describe a deliberate and phased plan to deploy this technology, as well as specific ways it will be used to enhance the applicant agency's mission
- Category 2: Site-based Awards to State Correctional Agencies - Funding under this category supports state correctional agencies seeking to establish or expand comprehensive BWC programs that have specified plans to implement this technology in a manner that maximizes the benefits of BWCs in correctional settings. As part of their proposal, the applicant must describe a deliberate and phased plan to deploy this technology as well as specific ways it will be used to enhance the applicant agency's mission. An application may include the deployment of BWCs in one or more of the correctional institutions under a state or territory's jurisdiction. These may also include deployment of BWCs to parole or other community supervision officers operating as agents for the state or territory's correctional agency.
- Category 3: Digital Evidence Management and Integration Demonstration Projects - Funding under this category supports existing or proposed digital evidence integration demonstration projects in law enforcement agencies, prosecution agencies, or in partnership between such agencies. Increasingly, digital data footage from BWCs is being integrated with other forms of digital evidence generated by the police (e.g., from in-dash cameras, fixed cameras, license plate readers, and aerial photography). Agencies are beginning to deploy integrated digital evidence systems that are purpose-built within the agency or relying on commercially available digital evidence integration platforms or hybrid approaches. This award category is intended to support those agencies that have made clear and demonstrable progress in digital evidence sharing and integration across two or more agencies. This integration may be horizontal (across law enforcement agencies) or vertical (between law enforcement and prosecutors' agencies).
- Category 4: Optimizing BWC Footage in Prosecutors' Offices Demonstration Projects - Funding under this category supports prosecutors' offices that are seeking to improve their capacity to receive, access, process, better interpret, and more efficiently use digital evidence from BWCs (and other digital devices).
- Category 5: Using BWC Footage for Training and Constitutional Policing Demonstration Projects - Funding under this category supports law enforcement agencies that have demonstrated success in using agency-generated BWC footage to (a) promote community outreach efforts, (b) improve officer performance through training using agency BWCs (e.g., de-escalation training), and/or (c) advance constitutional policing practices (e.g., monitoring officer compliance with BWC policy or standards for fair-and-effective policing).
History of Funding
Approximately $24,000,000 was available in 2023. 2023 award recipients and project descriptions can be viewed here: https://data.ojp.usdoj.gov/stories/s/O-BJA-2023-171562/8ka6-3jtv/
Approximately $24,000,000 was available in 2022. 2022 award recipients and project descriptions can be viewed here: https://data.ojp.usdoj.gov/stories/s/O-BJA-2022-171093/ekca-hsjc/
Approximately $27,500,000 was available in 2021. Recipients can be viewed here: https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/awards/list?field_award_status_value=All&state=All&field_funding_type_value=All&fiscal_year=2021&combine_awards=bwc+&awardee=&city=#awards-awards-list-block-96p-ly-hjdt28vdn
Additional Information
Preference in this competitive grant solicitation will be given to applicant agencies that are initiating new BWC programs or that are expanding BWC deployment to a new category of officers or other employees who have not previously used body-worn cameras. BWC programs qualify as new” if the agency had not previously issued BWCs to officers/employees. Agencies that currently or previously have had only limited BWC deployment as part of a pilot program to a small number of officers would qualify as new programs. Agencies that are expanding programs to a new category of officers/employees who had not previously been deployed BWCs also qualify for this preference.
Congressional appropriation for this program is for body-worn cameras. This program is not intended to support standalone in-dash camera (IDC) programs or other types of video service such at firearms-mounted cameras. BJA recognizes that BWCs are often bundled within packages that integrated BWCs, and other audiovisual platforms. BWCPIP Funds may be used to support such integrated programs.
It is important to clarify that this BWC solicitation is not merely an equipment acquisition program. All applicants regardless of whether they propose a new, expansion, or replacement BWC program (or any combination of these program types) should commit to developing a holistic and comprehensive BWC program.
Eligibility Details
Category 1, 3, & 5 applicants must be publicly funded law enforcement agencies. Eligible agencies include state, county, municipal, tribal, territorial or regional agencies. Other specialized law enforcement agencies such as school district police, university or college police, park police, fish and game police, and transportation police are eligible to apply provided they are primarily supported through public funding. Private police agencies are not eligible to apply. Any sheriff's department that intends to deploy BWCs in a jail setting should apply under this category, even if it intends to deploy BWCs only in a jail setting (and not for patrol officers).
Category 2 applicants must be publicly funded state or territory correctional agencies, provided that they perform law enforcement functions as part of regular duties that are supported by public funding.
Category 4 applicants must be publicly funded prosecutors' offices operating at a municipal, county, or state level.
Deadline Details
The SF-424 and the SF-LLL were to be submitted in Grants.gov by July 15, 2024 at 8:59 pm. The full application was to be submitted in JustGrants by July 24, 2024 at 8:59 pm. Similar deadlines are anticipated annually.
Award Details
Up to $24,000,000 is available in 2024 for five (5) categories:
- Category 1: 40 awards for up to $2,000,000 each.
- Category 2: 3 awards for up to $2,000,000 each.
- Category 3: 3 awards for up to $1,000,000 each.
- Category 4: 3 awards for up to $1,000,000 each.
- Category 5: 3 awards for up to $1,000,000 each.
A 50 percent cash or in-kind match is required for Categories 1 and 2, and for categories 3, 4, and 5 only if BWCs are proposed to be purchased or leased as part of the project proposed. Project periods for all categories will extend 36-months, starting October 1, 2024.
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