Cherokee County Sheriff's Office awarded grant for body cameras

 (From the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)

Justice & Security Strategies announced earlier this month that through its joint program with the United States Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Cherokee County Kansas Sheriff's Office is 1 of only 40 Sheriff's Offices across the country who have been selected for funding through a competitive process to support their body worn camera program.

"I'm excited to have received the announcement of this $90,000.00 project being successfully funded, especially knowing there were over 800 agencies competing for funding," stated Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Nate Jones in announcing the award.

"Our body worn camera program is an essential component in our profession, allowing us to provide valuable evidence in criminal cases while enhancing transparency and accountability. This grant funding will allow us to upgrade our system with cameras that are more suitable and compatible with our current and future agency and technological needs, while repurposing our current cameras," continued Chief Deputy Jones.

JSS project director, Dr. Shellie Solomon said, "This grant program made it easier for small, rural, and tribal law enforcement agencies to apply for funding. We received over 800 applications, a clear indication that these agencies wanted a streamlined grant process and that there is a high demand for body-worn cameras." She added, that "this represents an effort by the Justice Department to provide law enforcement with valuable resources to increase accountability and build trust with the communities they serve."

"I'm optimistic we will be able to have the new cameras on hand and deployed in the fall," concluded Chief Deputy Jones.