Colorado Police Corps camera warrant poses costly storage problem

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DENVER (KDVR) – Colorado law enforcement will share a $ 6 million grant to purchase state-mandated body cameras, but the money will not cover the major cost of maintaining and storing the video.

State lawmakers approved the $ 6 million grant, which will be distributed among 110 law enforcement agencies.

A press release from the Colorado Department of Public Safety said it was enough money to purchase the 2,885 body-worn cameras requested by law enforcement agencies.

The state estimates body-worn cameras cost $ 1,100 each, which means it will cost $ 3,173,500 to fund all requested cameras.

The remaining $ 2,826,500 will be divided equally among the law enforcement agencies that requested funding, at $ 25,695 each.

As FOX31 reported last week, physical body cameras are not the major cost for agencies having to fulfill the state’s new mandate to equip all law enforcement officers with body cameras here. July 1, 2023.

Several law enforcement officials told Problem Solvers that body cameras are inexpensive compared to the data storage costs involved in keeping and maintaining countless hours of video.


Body camera fees

Jefferson County Sheriff
363 body cameras: $ 425,000

Arapahoe County Sheriff
234 body cameras: $ 283,065

Larimer County Sheriff
225 body cameras: $ 273,195

Park County Sheriff
35 body cameras: $ 64,195

Statewide Total
2,855 body cameras: $ 3,173,500


Operating costs eclipse camera purchases

While the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office has received $ 283,065 to purchase 234 body cameras, it will spend at least $ 1 million next year adding more civilian employees to operate and implement its operation. body cameras.

In Park County, the sheriff told Problem Solvers last week that adding body cameras to his department would likely cost him $ 500,000, most to cover data storage and the addition of a civilian employee. to process drafting and registration requests.

The Park County Sheriff’s Office received $ 64,195 to cover 35 body cameras – nowhere near the half a million dollars Sheriff Tom McGraw said he would need.

“$ 64,000 is pretty disappointing,” said Park County Commissioner Amy Mitchell, adding, “We’re going to have a tough budget season, which starts now.”

The largest recipient of the state grant was the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, which received $ 425,000 to cover 363 body cameras.

But several agencies (mostly small departments) received the minimum grant amount of $ 25,695.

Full list: 2021 Body-worn Camera Grants Program allocations

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