Placer Supervisors accept $580K grant for Sheriff's body camera program

The Placer County Sheriff's Office is one step closer to launching its body-worn camera program. The Placer County Board of Supervisors accepted a $580,000 award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Byrne Discretionary Community Project grant during its consent agenda at its Dec. 6 meeting. Securement of the grant, which was obtained with the assistance of Congressman Doug LaMalfa, was announced by the Sheriff's Office during a news conference in May. The Board of Supervisors previously approved a three-year program for body-worn cameras in April 2021. "These body-worn cameras will serve as a vital tool to ensure the safety of community members, inmates and Sheriff's Office staff while providing transparency to the public during critical incidents," the Sheriff's Office stated on Facebook. According to the staff report, the grant funds will be used to offset the costs associated with the purchase and implementation of the body-worn camera program. "... We understand the funding is available to us to begin the purchase process," Angela Musallam, public information officer for the Sheriff's Office, said in an email to the Auburn Journal on Friday morning. The Sheriff's Office confirmed the program will also be integrated into the in-car camera system of its patrol vehicles. According to Musallam, the Sheriff's Office hopes to roll out the body-worn cameras in 2023. The staff report notes revenue from the grant will be included in the Sheriff's Office 2022-23 fiscal-year budget.