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The FY 2022 Omnibus Appropriations bill released early this morning includes funding for the City of Columbia Police Department.
$709,000 – City of Columbia Body-Worn and In-Car Camera Modernization (COPS Tech)
“Providing our city’s law enforcement officers with updated technology will keep both our law enforcement and our residents safer. Thanks to Senator Graham, we are able to protect our law enforcement and make sure that every encounter they have with our residents is safe. We look forward to continuing to support our officers and making Columbia a safer city,” stated Mayor Daniel Rickenmann.
At the end of 2015, in conjunction with receiving the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant, Columbia City Council approved the spending of approximately $170,000 for 300 body-worn cameras for uniformed patrol officers. This current funding from the FY 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill will further advance the police department’s body-worn camera program thus strengthening public trust and accountability.
“Body-worn cameras have been a rapidly evolving technology since our initial deployment in 2015. This funding will allow us to move our body-worn camera program forward utilizing the most advanced technology; enabling our body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, and interview room cameras to be on a fully integrated platform,” said Columbia Police Chief William ‘Skip’ Holbrook.