Alaska Troopers receiving funds to purchase body worn cameras

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Alaska State Troopers lastly acquired funding wanted to buy body-worn cameras, which is able to quickly be issued as customary gear for all troopers and Alaska Wildlife Troopers all through the state, in response to Division of Public Security Commissioner James Cockrell.

This $4 million buy has been years within the making, and has been on the heart of controversy for individuals who really feel troopers ought to have been outfitted with physique cameras way back.

The division has lastly secured the funding wanted, which started when america Division of Justice offered slightly below 1,000,000 {dollars} final yr. These federal {dollars} will now be mixed with $3 million Gov. Mike Dunleavy just lately allotted from the state’s common fund throughout his fiscal yr 2023 funds, earmarked for the division’s wants, which included body-worn cameras.

The federal grant cash has guidelines that require Cockrell to first administer the cameras to troopers stationed in rural villages, the place security considerations are most prevalent.

“We’ve obtained some hurdles to beat — particularly connectivity in our rural areas like Bethel, Emmonak and Selawik — locations that we have now troopers and CSO’s and VPSO’s,” Cockrell stated.

Cockrell stated that the transition into small villages ought to happen by the start of subsequent yr, and that he hopes to have each trooper outfitted with physique cams by the center of subsequent yr.

“We’re excited. I feel it’s good for the general public, I do know it’s good for our troopers,” Cockrell stated. “I feel it’ll cut back our litigation, instances that might go to court docket, as a result of every little thing is simply going to be on the market.”

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s new funds allotted $24 million earmarked to handle the wants of the division. Cockrell stated that he intends to make use of the funds, partially, to rent as much as 100 extra troopers. He plans to unfold them extra evenly throughout the state. At the moment, the division is barely approved to supply 319 trooper and 87 wildlife trooper positions. Cockrell says these new physique cams ought to reassure the general public that instances will probably be dealt with transparently, particularly since copies of physique cam movies may also be accessible to buy.

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