Body Camera Funding Awarded To Alexandria Police Department

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Alexandria Police Department will receive federal funding to support a body camera program for officers.

The $600,000 in funds come from the U.S. Department of Justice's Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grant. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents Virginia's 8th congressional district, secured the funds as a community project funding request in the omnibus spending bill. The omnibus spending bill was passed by Congress in March.

"I’m proud to announce that the DOJ’S Office of Justice Programs has awarded the funds to support this critically important initiative in our community," said Beyer in a statement. "Body worn cameras are an important and necessary tool for bringing more transparency, accountability, and trust in policing in our communities."

The funding will support the purchase of technology for 25 to 50 body cameras at the Alexandria Police Department. In the funding request, Beyer noted body cameras can assist with police midsconduct investigations as well as police officers' duties to enforce the law and protect the public. The body cameras will be focused on "high-impact shifts and high-need areas," according to the funding request.

The Alexandria Police Department is Northern Virginia's last full-service law enforcement agency to implement a body camera program, according to Beyer. The pilot program also received implementation funding in the fiscal year 2023 city budget approved by Alexandria City Council in May. As reported by ALX Now, body worn cameras are starting to be used this year, but the full program may not be in place until the next fiscal year.

The other community project Beyer secured for Alexandria in the federal spending bill is for the city's stormwater infrastructure. The $420,000 in funding will support stormwater sewer upgrades at Clifford Avenue, Fulton Street and Manning Street. The upgrades are in response to increasing rainfall events that cause flooding that the outdated stormwater sewer infrastructure cannot handle.