Sec. 201. Body-Worn Camera Partnership Grant Program
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Subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10151 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: In this section— the term covered government means a State, unit of local government, or Indian Tribe; the term Director means the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance; and the term unit of local government , notwithstanding section 901, does not include an Indian Tribe. The Director may make grants to eligible covered governments for use by the covered government for— the purchase of body-worn cameras; necessary initial supportive technological infrastructure for body-worn cameras for law enforcement officers in the jurisdiction of the grantee; the development of policies and procedures relating to the use of body-worn cameras; training on the use of body-worn cameras; the storage, retention, viewing, auditing, and release of footage from body-worn cameras; and personnel, including law enforcement, prosecution, and criminal defense personnel, to support the administration of the body-worn camera program of the covered government.
For a covered government to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, the chief executive officer of the covered government shall submit to the Director an application in such form and containing such information as the Director may require. The application under paragraph
(1)shall, as required by the Director, provide assurances that the covered government will establish policies and procedures in accordance with subsection (d). A covered government receiving a grant under this section shall develop policies and procedures related to the use of body-worn cameras that— are developed with community input, including from prosecutors and organizations representing crime victims, in accordance with recognized best practices; require that a body-worn camera be activated when a law enforcement officer arrests or detains any person in the course of the official duties of the officer, with consideration to sensitive cases; apply discipline to any law enforcement officer who intentionally fails to ensure that a body-worn camera is engaged, functional, and properly secured at all times during which the camera is required to be worn; require training for— the proper use of body-worn cameras; and the handling and use of the obtained video and audio recordings; provide clear standards for privacy, data retention, and use for evidentiary purposes in a criminal proceeding, including in the case of an assault on a law enforcement officer; and make footage available to the public in response to a valid request under an applicable freedom of information law if the footage can be made available— without compromising an ongoing investigation or revealing the identity of third parties, including victims, informants, or witnesses; and with consideration given to the rights of victims and surviving family members. A covered government receiving a grant under this section shall make all policies and procedures regarding body-worn cameras available on a public website. The Director shall issue guidance to covered governments related to the requirements under paragraph (1). Each fiscal year, unless the Director has awarded a fully funded grant for each eligible application submitted by a State and any units of local government within the State under this section for the fiscal year, the Director shall allocate to the State and units of local government within the State for grants under this section an aggregate amount that is not less than 0.5 percent of the total amount appropriated for the fiscal year for grants under this section. For purposes of the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, subparagraph
(A)shall be applied by substituting 0.25 percent for 0.5 percent . A covered government may not receive a grant under this section for a fiscal year in an amount that is greater than 5 percent of the total amount appropriated for grants under this section for the fiscal year. A State and each covered government within the State may not receive grants under this section for a fiscal year in an aggregate amount that is more than 20 percent of the total amount appropriated for grants under this section for the fiscal year. The portion of the costs of a body-worn camera program provided by a grant under this section— may not exceed 50 percent; and subject to subsection (e)(2), shall equal 50 percent if the grant is to a unit of local government with fewer than 100,000 residents. Funds made available under this section shall not be used to supplant covered government funds, but shall be used to increase the amount of funds that would, in the absence of Federal funds, be made available from covered government sources for the purposes of this section. A covered government that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the Director, for each year in which funds from a grant received under this section are expended, a report at such time and in such manner as the Director may reasonably require, that contains— a summary of the activities carried out under the grant and an assessment of whether the activities are meeting the needs identified in the grant application; and such other information as the Director may require. Not later than 90 days after the end of a fiscal year for which grants are made under this section, the Director shall submit to Congress a report that includes— the aggregate amount of grants made under this section to each covered government for the fiscal year; a summary of the information provided by covered governments receiving grants under this section; and a description of the priorities and plan for awarding grants among eligible covered governments, and how the plan will ensure the effective use of body-worn cameras to protect public safety. For the purpose of making grants under this section, there is appropriated, to remain available until expended, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated— for fiscal year 2021, $100,000,000; for fiscal year 2022, $100,000,000; for fiscal year 2023, $100,000,000; for fiscal year 2024, $100,000,000; and for fiscal year 2025, $100,000,000. .
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Sec. 201
Body-Worn Camera Partnership Grant Program
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