State approves body and dash camera funding for six local police departments

Six New Hampshire police departments are set to receive the latest round of state funding to help buy body cameras and dashboard cameras, after the Executive Council approved the funds last week. 

The approvals will help the departments in purchasing, maintaining, and replacing their body and dashboard cameras. The money can also be used to pay for data storage systems to hold footage obtained by the cameras.

The disbursement is the fourth round for the program since it began in February 2022; so far, 46 departments have been awarded a total of $1.16 million, according to the Department of Safety. 

In this round, the New Hampshire Department of Safety will distribute $134,833 to the six departments. The funding is matched; police departments must pay an equal amount toward the camera equipment from their own budgets in order to receive the assistance.

Under this disbursement, Chester Police Department will receive $50,000; Gilmanton Police Department will receive $33,800; Newport Police Department will receive $15,477; Northumberland Police Department will receive $15,033; Nottingham Police Department will receive $19,980; and Springfield Police Department will receive $543.

The grant program was announced on June 1, with an application deadline of June 30, Department of Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn wrote in a letter to the council. Seven police departments applied, but one later withdrew its application.

The state’s Body-worn and Dashboard Camera Fund was created in 2021 at the recommendation of the Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community, and Transparency, known as the LEACT Commission. That commission was formed by Gov. Chris Sununu in response to the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and the ensuing push for police reform. Towns and cities can apply for up to $50,000 in funds.

The fund currently has $2.87 million available to disburse. 

•••

Ethan DeWitt is the New Hampshire Bulletin’s education reporter. Previously, he worked as the New Hampshire State House reporter for the Concord Monitor, covering the state, the Legislature, and the New Hampshire presidential primary. A Westmoreland native, Ethan started his career as the politics and health care reporter at the Keene Sentinel. edewitt@newhampshirebulletin.com. To learn more, visit newhampshirebulletin.com.