July 11, 2024
Benton, KY – Sheriff Matt Hilbrecht announced today that the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office is launching a new body-worn camera (BWC) initiative. Emphasizing the importance of transparency with Marshall County’s citizens, Sheriff Hilbrecht applied for funding through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). On July 2, it was confirmed that Marshall County is among the agencies set to receive this funding.
Justice & Security Strategies (JSS) and the BJA announced today that their joint program will award $6 million to 170 small, rural, and tribal law enforcement agencies for BWCs. The grantees include 112 small towns, 40 rural sheriff and county police agencies, 12 tribes, and six other agencies.
“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 of the high demand for body-worn cameras,” said Dr. Shellie Solomon, JSS project director. “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.”
BJA selected Justice & Security Strategies, Inc. to administer the grant program through a cooperative agreement in 2021. This is the third year that JSS has awarded grants to small, rural, and tribal agencies. Over $23.5 million has been provided for BWCs to over 850 agencies across the United States.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance helps to make American communities safer by strengthening the nation’s criminal justice system. BJA’s grants, cooperative agreements, training, technical assistance, and policy development services provide state, local, and tribal governments with cutting-edge tools and best practices to reduce violent and drug-related crime, support law enforcement, and combat victimization.
The Office of Justice Programs, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims, and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
JSS is a woman- and minority-owned criminal justice consulting firm, with Dr. Craig D. Uchida serving as President and Dr. Shellie E. Solomon as CEO.
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office will soon be awarded over $38,000 to implement these systems. “As we complete the process, we will be taking bids for the system, working on training for our officers, and writing policy for the system’s use,” said Sheriff Hilbrecht. “We look forward to working with Judge Spraggs and the Fiscal Court on this project.”
For any questions, concerns, or comments, please contact Sheriff Hilbrecht at the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office or via email at matt.hilbrecht@marshallcountyky.gov.
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