To be eligible for the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program, agencies must adhere to the Ohio Collaborative’s body-worn camera standard. Body-worn camera grant certification, requires agencies to submit an Agency CEO Letter of Attestation and a policy that adheres to the five standard requirements:

1. The purpose and organizational philosophy regarding use
2. Requirements and restrictions for activation and deactivation of the device
3. Criminal and administrative use of the camera captured data
4. Data storage, retention, and disclosure requirements reflective of public records law and privacy concerns
5. Accountability and training requirements for users and supervisors; and requirements for a documented review of camera captured data

Frequently Asked Questions

Do agencies need to be certified on the Body Worn Camera standard in order to be eligible to apply?

Yes, agencies need to be certified on the BWC standard in order to receive funding. Agencies that are working toward certification will be issued a pre-award condition requiring final certification before funding is awarded.

How much will OCJS pay per camera?

OCJS will reimburse up to $1,000 per camera. Costs that exceed this amount are the responsibility of the agency. This number is not applicable when camera costs are bundled. Please list all items separately in the budget forms.

Will OCJS pay for warranty costs as well?

OCJS will pay for warranty costs.

How many cameras per department will OCJS be willing to fund?

Determinations will be made on the number of applications received and amount of funding requested.

Will OCJS fund cameras for agencies with existing BWC programs?

Yes, agencies with established programs are eligible for funding. However OCJS will prioritize funding for agencies that do not have BWC programs.

Will OCJS cover the cost for storage?

Yes, OCJS will cover storage costs.

Will OCJS cover the cost of additional personnel to manage the program?

Yes, OCJS will provide funding for personnel, including overtime, provided the personnel duties directly relate to implementation and management of the BWC program. Examples of allowable personnel costs include those related to program administration, video support, and FOIA requests.

What will OCJS require in terms of backup documentation?

As with other grant programs, grantees will be required to submit equipment inventory information as well as invoices and bank statements for the items purchased.

Will agencies be required to report on objectives?

Agencies will not be required to supply objectives as with OCJS’ typical grant programs. However, agencies will provide basic statistics at grant closeout pertaining to equipment bought and the status of the program. The goal is to quantify how the funding allowed agencies to create or expand BWC programs. Information on the data to be collected will be issued with pre-award conditions.

Are agencies required to have a Collaboration Board?

No, agencies are not required to have a Collaboration Board for this specific grant program. Agencies are, however, strongly encouraged to involve or consult with criminal justice partners and with community when developing and/or implementing a BWC program.

Will the BWC Grant Program be available in future years?

The BWC Grant Program funds will be available in 2021 and 2022. However, keep the following in mind:

• Funding for Year 1 and Year 2 are completely independent of one another. Thus, if a law enforcement agency receives funding in Year 1 of the program, this is not a guarantee of funding for Year 2.
• Agencies should carefully consider how they plan to sustain the BWC program beyond the life of this grant. Sustainability planning should start at program onset to allow the agency time to identify and develop other, more permanent, funding sources, rather than relying on less stable grant programs.