Flint, MI– The Flint Police Department is on its way to receive $183,505 to purchase police camera equipment.
The funds are part of a Financially Distressed Cities, Villages, and Townships grant program through the State of Michigan Department of Treasury. Flint was one of 16 municipalities to be awarded funding through the program this year, according to a press release from the state.
According to the grant agreement, $107,880 is to be used for police body cameras. The remaining $75,625 is budgeted for surveillance cameras, and their installation.
During a budget hearing for the police department back in April, Police Chief Terence Green said he was satisfied with the budget for the department, but that they could “always use additional dollars for…technology, cameras, things of that nature.”
At the hearing, Green said the cameras could be used to catch illegal dumpers, and other violators.
During the Flint City Council Committee meeting on Aug. 4, Chief Resilience Officer Lottie Ferguson mentioned those same uses.
“It is for surveillance cameras to be placed in areas with high rates of vacant properties to help decrease the amount of dumping and crime that are concentrated within the neighborhood,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson said this funding would cover 24 cameras, as well as training and insurance on those cameras.
Councilman Eric Mays said he was looking forward to getting the police outfitted with body cameras and would like to see it go even further.
“These body cameras, I’m gonna be in favor of it. I sure want us to get more. I even want some body cameras for some of the administrative upper echelon, because we’ve got some things going on that I’m concerned about,” Mays said.
The council voted to send the resolution to accept this grant funding to the regular council meeting on Monday, Aug. 9, for final approval.
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