Section 1705.100  Purpose

 

The purpose of this program is to provide financial assistance from the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Fund to eligible public law enforcement agencies for the purchase of in-car video cameras for use in law enforcement vehicles, the purchase of officer-worn body cameras and associated technology for law enforcement officers, and training for law enforcement officers in the operation of these cameras.  (Section 1 of the Act)

 

Section 1705.110  Definitions

 

“Act” means the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Act [50 ILCS 707].

 

“Active law enforcement officer” means any law enforcement officer who is listed on the roster of a law enforcement agency and is not on inactive status pursuant to the provisions of Section 8.1 of the Police Training Act.  

 

“Agency” or “law enforcement agency” means any law enforcement unit of government or municipal corporation in this State. It does not include the State of Illinois or any office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or agency of the State, except that it does include a State-controlled university, college or public community college pursuant to the provisions of Section 2 of the Police Training Act.

 

"Board" means the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board created by the Illinois Police Training Act. [50 ILCS 705/2, 706/10 and 707/5]

 

“GATA” means the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act [30 ILCS 708/1].

 

"In-car video camera" means a video camera located in a law enforcement patrol vehicle.

 

"In-car video camera recording equipment" means a video camera recording system located in a law enforcement patrol vehicle consisting of a camera assembly, recording mechanism, and an in-car video recording medium. [50 ILCS 707/5]

 

“Inactive law enforcement officer” means any law enforcement officer who is on inactive status pursuant to the provisions of Section 8.1 of the Police Training Act.  

 

“Law enforcement officer” or "officer" means any person employed by a unit of local government or an Illinois public university as a policeman, peace officer or in some like position involving the enforcement of the law and protection of the public interest at the risk of that person's life. [50 ILCS 707/2]

 

"Officer-worn body camera" means an electronic camera system for creating, generating, sending, receiving, storing, displaying, and processing audiovisual recordings that may be worn on or about the person of a law enforcement officer.  (Section 5 of the Act)

 

Section 1705.120  Eligibility

 

a)         GATA Compliance.  In additional to the specific criteria identified below, all applicant agencies must be registered in the Grantee Portal and be “qualified” as described by the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act Administrative Rules (see 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.70).

 

b)         Eligibility Criteria.  Law enforcement agencies meeting the following criteria are eligible for financial assistance from the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Fund.  The law enforcement agency must:

 

1)         be an Illinois law enforcement agency of a unit of local government, or public university that is recognized by the Board.

 

2)         list their active law enforcement officers on a roster on file with the Board.

 

3)         indicate that all active law enforcement officers reflected on the agency roster subject to the mandated training requirements of Section 7 of the Police Training Act are compliant with all Board training requirements at the time of award.  Any officer that is not compliant may be listed as inactive upon reporting the date the officer left service, their expected date of return, the reason for leaving service, and an acknowledgement that all outstanding training will be completed within 60 days of return.

 

4)         be compliant with all reporting requirements of Sections 15 and 20 of the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Act and Section 10-25 of the Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act [50 ILCS 706].

 

c)         Post-award Compliance.  All grant recipients must continue to meet the requirements of the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Act, the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act, and all corresponding administrative rules after award.

 

Section 1705.130  Application

 

a)         Grant applications for financial reimbursement under this program must be submitted in accordance with schedules to be publicly announced annually by the Board in accordance with the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act.  Necessary application forms and instructions are available through the Board's website at ptb.illinois.gov and will be made available at the opening of each grant period.  Announcements will be made in the Catalog of State Financial Assistance as a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in accordance with 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.310.

 

b)         Grant applications shall consist of the following basic components, at a minimum:

 

1)         The applicant law enforcement agency’s name, address, email address, and telephone number.

 

2)         Whether the agency is requesting grant funding for cameras that have already been purchased or for anticipated purchases.

 

3)         The number of active law enforcement officers working at the law enforcement agency.

 

4)         A signature from the law enforcement agency chief executive verifying the applicant agency has completed the application truthfully and will comply with program regulations relative to the project.

 

Section 1705.140  Awards

 

a)         The Board shall make awards in accordance with the evaluation and selection criteria of this Section as reflected on the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) as published in the Catalog of State Financial Assistance.

 

b)         When making awards and disbursing grant funds, the Board shall take the following factors into consideration:

 

1)         The number of law enforcement officers employed by the law enforcement agency will be taken into consideration in dispersing Camera Grant funds.

 

2)         The number of vehicle cameras currently available to the law enforcement agency will be taken into consideration in dispersing Camera Grant funds.

 

3)         The median household income in the law enforcement agency’s community (as identified by the U.S. Census Bureau) will be taken into consideration in dispersing Camera Grant funds.

 

4)         The crime rate in the law enforcement agency’s community (as identified by the Illinois State Police) will be taken into consideration in dispersing Camera Grant funds.

 

5)         The total number of vehicular accidents/crashes in the law enforcement agency's community, as well as the number of those accidents/crashes involving alcohol or drugs, will be taken into consideration in dispersing Camera Grant funds.

 

6)         Whether or not the law enforcement agency's community received revenue from red light and or speed enforcement cameras within the last three years will be taken into consideration in dispersing Camera Grant funds.

 

7)         Whether or not the applicant agency is compliant with the reporting requirements of the Uniform Crime Reporting Act will be taken into consideration in dispersing Camera Grant funds.  (Section 10 of the Act)

 

8)         Whether or not the applicant agency is compliant with all reporting requirements of Sections 15 and 20 of the Act and Section 10-25 of the Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act [50 ILCS 706].

 

c)         Awards will be made based on the total amount of funds approved by the Board relative to the amount of available funding.  After evaluating the award criteria, the Board may accelerate processing and or reduce an award from the law enforcement agency’s requested amount.

 

d)         The Board will issue a Notice of State Award (NOSA) through the Catalog of State Financial Assistance and in accordance with the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act and GATA Rules.  (See 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.360)

 

e)         Agencies may accept an award via the GATA Grantee Portal in accordance with the practices prescribed in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act and corresponding administrative rules found at 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.

 

Section 1705.150  Distribution of Funds

 

a)         After accepting an award, applicant agencies must submit the following documentation prior to receiving any distribution of funds:

 

1)         Documentation indicating the date the purchase was initiated;

 

2)         The number of cameras purchased and received;

 

3)         The per unit cost of each camera;

 

4)         The description, cost, and quantity of any associated technological equipment required for operating the cameras; and

 

5)         Documentation that the costs associated with the purchase of the cameras and associated technology has been satisfied with a payment, and the date such payment was made.

 

b)         For any in-car cameras, the applicant agency must show proof of installation prior to the distribution of funds.

 

c)         The process for obtaining any equipment under this grant must meet the record keeping and procurement standards of Section 200.318 of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.  (2 CFR 200.318 General Procurement Standards)

 

Section 1705.160  Program Compliance

 

After receiving an award, an agency must remain compliant with all reporting requirements of the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Act and the Law Enforcement Officer Body-Worn Camera Act.

 

Section 1705.170  Cancellation

 

Agencies are expected to utilize the cameras funded under this program for at least 3 years.  Any agency that removes a camera from service prior to the third year of the camera’s purchase shall submit a report to the Board identifying the make, model, and serial number of the specific camera, as well as a statement explaining the reason for retirement.  Any and all records associated with cameras awarded under this program must be retained for a period of at least 3 years.  (See 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.430.)

 

Section 1705.180  Model Rules for In-Car Cameras

 

Any agency receiving grants from the Board for in-car video cameras must adopt a written policy based upon the following model.

 

a)         Installation:  Cameras must be permanently installed in law enforcement agency vehicles.

 

b)         Recording:

 

1)         Cameras must be turned on continuously throughout the officer's shift.

 

2)         Video recording must provide audio of the officer when the officer is outside of the vehicle.

 

c)         Access to Recordings:

 

1)         Camera access must be restricted to the supervisors of the officer in the vehicle.

 

2)         A copy of the video record must be made available upon request to personnel of the law enforcement agency, the local State's Attorney, and any persons depicted in the video, as provided by law.  Procedures for distribution of the video record must include safeguards to protect the identities of individuals who are not a party to the requested stop.

 

d)         Minimum Storage:  Law enforcement agencies that receive moneys under this grant shall provide for storage of the video records for a period of not less than 2 years.

 

e)         Reporting:

 

1)         Each law enforcement agency receiving a grant for in-car video cameras under Section 10 of the Act must provide an annual report to the Board, the Governor, and the General Assembly on or before May 1 of the year following the receipt of the grant and by each May 1 thereafter during the period of the grant (while cameras remain in use).  The report shall include the following:

 

A)        The number of cameras received by the law enforcement agency;

 

B)        The number of cameras actually installed in law enforcement agency vehicles;

 

C)        A brief description of the review process used by supervisors within the law enforcement agency;

 

D)        A list of any criminal, traffic, ordinance, and civil cases in which in-car video recordings were used, including party names, case numbers, offenses charged, and disposition of the matter.

 

2)         Proceedings to which this subsection (e)(1)(D) applies include, but are not limited to, court proceedings, coroner's inquests, grand jury proceedings, and plea bargains.

 

f)         Additional Information:  From time to time, the Board may request any other information relevant to the administration of the program.  (Section 15 of the Act)

 

Section 1705.190  Model Rules for Body-worn Cameras

 

Any agency receiving grants from the Board for officer-worn body cameras must adopt a written policy based upon the following model:

 

a)         Written Policy:  Any agency receiving a grant for officer-worn body cameras must adopt a written policy based upon this Section and the Board’s basic guidelines published pursuant to the Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act.  

 

b)         Reporting:

 

1)         Each law enforcement agency receiving a grant for officer-worn body cameras under Section 10 of this Act must provide an annual report to the Board, the Governor, and the General Assembly on or before May 1 of the year following the receipt of the grant and by each May 1 thereafter during the period of the grant (while cameras remain in use). The report shall include:

 

A)        A brief overview of the makeup of the agency, including the number of officers utilizing officer-worn body cameras;

 

B)        The number of officer-worn body cameras utilized by the law enforcement agency;

 

C)        Any technical issues with the equipment and how those issues were remedied;

 

D)        A brief description of the review process used by supervisors within the law enforcement agency; and

 

E)        For each recording used in prosecutions of conservation, criminal, or traffic offenses or municipal ordinance violations:

 

i)          The time, date, and location of the incident; and

 

ii)         The offenses charged and the date charges were filed.

 

F)         For each recording used in a civil proceeding or internal affairs investigation, including:

 

i)          The number of pending civil proceedings and internal investigations;

 

ii)         In resolved civil proceedings and pending investigations:

 

iii)        The nature of the complaint or allegations;

 

iv)        The disposition, if known; and

 

v)         The date, time, and location of the incident.

 

2)         Additional Information:  From time to time, the Board may request any other information relevant to the administration of the program.  (Section 20 of the Act)

 

Section 1705.199  Agency Contact

 

For information on the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Program, contact:

 

Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board

Attention:  Grant Administration

4500 S. Sixth Street Road

Springfield, IL  62703

Phone:  217-782-4540

Email:  ptb.grants@illinois.gov