TOLLAND — The Tolland Police Department was recently awarded a grant to purchase body-worn cameras for its three-member force.
“It’s for the protection of ourselves and the citizens of Tolland we serve,” said Police Chief Scott Bergeron about the $34,124 grant for the cameras and ancillary equipment needed.
And, he said, the officers are “welcoming” the new equipment understanding its importance in today’s society with cell phone cameras seemingly everywhere.
“Now, on every motor vehicle stop or interaction [with the public] and recording video and audio, there is never a question,” he said.
While the cameras are relatively inexpensive — from $200 to $400 each — the cost of storing the recorded video and audio information and having the tools to redact footage has been considered prohibitive for nearly a decade.
Bergeron acknowledged storage costs had made it all but impossible for most departments because onsite servers were needed and then upgraded as the need for storage increased exponentially.
With the creation of cloud computing and storage, Bergeron said the cost has dropped significantly.
“It will be in the cloud,” Bergeron said, “but a very secure cloud.”
He said the cameras and equipment has been ordered and he expects the department’s officers will deploy them in three to four months.
The Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded the grant as part of the fiscal year 2025 Law Enforcement Body-Worn Camera Program which is administered by the state’s Office of Grants and Research. This marks the program’s second funding round this fiscal year, following over $3 million awarded to 32 departments in July.
“This grant program has been instrumental in helping local police departments equip officers with body-worn cameras, a vital tool for enhancing investigations and building trust with the community. By continuing to offer opportunities for departments to secure funding, we are ensuring more officers have access to this essential technology and enhancing public safety across the state,” Gov. Maura Healey said.
Since the program’s launch in 2021, over $13.9 million has been made available to support local police departments with their efforts to enhance transparency, accountability, and police-community relations through the adoption and expansion of body-worn camera programs.
