Caernarvon Township Police Department Awarded Grant for Body Cameras
Caernarvon Township Police Department Awarded
Grant for Body Cameras
MORGANTOWN, Pa., Feb. 1, 2021 — The Caernarvon Township Police Department today formally accepted a grant in the amount of $9,955.00 from Energy Transfer, which aided in the purchase of equipment to enhance the department’s response capabilities. They will also be accepting a second grant in the amount of $5,695.25 from the Kyle Pagerly Memorial Fund, which aided in the purchase of the server needed to store all of the video files collected from the body cameras.
Energy Transfer is one of the largest and most diversified energy logistics companies in the country, with approximately 3,000 miles of pipeline infrastructure and gathering systems located in Pennsylvania.
‘Not only are body cameras becoming more and more valuable in today’s society, but police equipment is also becoming more expensive to purchase and maintain,” said Caernarvon Township Detective Corporal Chad Eberly. “This grant from Energy Transfer will go a long way in enhancing our patrol team’s ability to do their job and protect our community.”
The grant from Energy Transfer supplemented funds received through the Kyle Pagerly Memorial Fund, which aided in the purchase of a server to store all video files from the body cameras.
The Energy Transfer First Responder Fund provides grants to help further the primary mission of first responder organizations, including local fire departments; emergency medical services; county emergency management agencies; county, regional and local police departments; and other eligible agencies. Grants are determined based on a competitive application and review process, and written applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the following cycle.
“It’s always an honor to be able to help fund important projects for the first responders who work day in and day out to protect our communities,” said Josh Snyder, Lead Specialist, Public Affairs at Energy Transfer. “We look forward to continuing to partner with Detective Eberly and his team and to support their efforts in any way we can.”
The Kyle Pagerly Memorial Fund supports the development and needs of first responders in furtherance of their continued service and protection of the community as well as generate revenue for first responder organizations that are in need of funding for equipment directly related to their cause. The Kyle Pagerly Fund was created after Berks County Sheriff’s K9 Deputy Kyle Pagerly was shot and killed in the line of duty on June 29, 2011 while serving an arrest warrant with the US Marshal’s Task Force in Albany Township, Berks County. Grants can be applied for only by first responder organizations through the Berks County Community Foundation.
The body worn cameras are to be utilized by on-duty officers during the course of their normal daily operations. This equipment will be used by our officers to record interactions with the public, or gather video evidence at crime scenes. Typically these devices are worn on the torso, attached to the uniform or ballistic vest and would record all events during which our officers are involved.
This equipment is becoming more and more valuable in today’s society. Some benefits of the cameras include:
- Remedy for resolving issues of community trust and increase police accountability.
- Increased public confidence in local policing.
- A reduction in the number of complaints and allegations made against police officers.
- Reduced criminal justice costs due to an increase in early guilty pleas.
- A reduction in the number of assaults on police officers.
- Ability to deploy BWC in areas not covered by other forms of CCTV.
- Officer skill enhancement through the review of performance at incidents.
- Reduction in officer time spent on paperwork.
