Funding Released To Bring Body-Worn Cameras To Howard County Police Officers

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The County Council has unanimously approved the release of $500,000 from the fiscal year 2022 operating budget to fund Howard County's body-worn camera program. Howard County Executive Calvin Ball signed the budget amendment recently, releasing the county funding from contingency. Ball plans to use $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan money to fund for the body-worn camera program immediately. With funding in place, the body-worn camera program will be fully implemented ahead of the 2023 Maryland General Assembly mandate.

"When this program is fully implemented, Howard County’s officers and our community will have another vital tool that helps uphold security, transparency and justice for all," Ball said.

Following the filing of the county executive’s proposed budget, the state-mandated maintenance of effort funding level for the school system was significantly higher than anticipated, prompting adjustments to the proposed budget. At the conclusion of the budget process, the Howard County Council voted to place all remaining funding proposed for the body-worn camera program into contingency.

Ball will combine $1 million in preliminary funding for equipment and licensing set aside during the fiscal year 2022 budget cycle, the estimated $500,000 in contingency and the additional $1.6 million to fully fund the following:

• Hiring 26 essential positions across the police department, state’s attorney’s office and sheriff’s 0ffice,
• 600 cameras for 300 HCPD officers
• Expanded storage capacity and acquiring necessary software
• Procuring additional equipment for deputies within the sheriff’s department

"Body worn cameras will help increase transparency and reinforce accountability for officers and citizens in police interactions," Howard County Police Chief Lisa Myers said. "This program is the culmination of years of research and planning by many of our HCPD sworn and civilian staff. We are ready to hit the ground running, ordering and installing equipment, training officers, hiring administrative staff and tackling many other tasks to prepare for implementation in the months ahead."

“Body-worn camera’s serve as a promising tool to help analyze cases and protect the truth of what occurs in our society,” added state’s attorney Rich Gibson.

“Providing transparency and building trust with our community are two of my main objectives as a law enforcement leader. Body worn cameras are a tool in meeting those objectives,” noted Howard County Sheriff Marcus Harris.