Chief Paul A. Nikas is pleased to announce the Ipswich Police Department has been awarded a total of $35,000 in federal grant funds allocated by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research (OGR).
The Ipswich Police Department received a $15,000 grant from the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which will be used toward the department’s body-worn cameras program. Ipswich Police first purchased body-worn cameras for all officers in 2016 after receiving a $48,000 grant from the OGR-JAG program.
“Our body-worn camera program has been a great way to help maintain community trust and promote transparency for our department, while also helping to improve officer safety and wellness,” Chief Nikas said. “We are grateful to receive this funding to help support this program, which has been a great resource for our department for the last four years.”
The Ipswich Police Department also received a $20,000 grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This funding will be used to buy two pole-mounted, portable radar signs, educational programs about traffic laws for high school students and local cable access PSA videos. The money will also be used to help support supplemental patrols with traffic specific patrols and enforcement as well as the car seat installation program and associated events.
The grants were part of $7.8 million in funding that the Baker-Polito Administration allocated yesterday to provide access to equipment and strengthen training, crime prevention and enforcement initiatives across the Commonwealth.
The JAG program provided $4.6 million to fund needs such as protective equipment and communications infrastructure. The NHTSA provided $3.2 million to fund traffic enforcement campaigns, safety equipment, and non-enforcement activities to help reduce vehicle crashes and the resulting injuries and loss of life. The funds are allocated to local agencies by the OGR.
The Ipswich Police Department is among more than 160 law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth that were awarded grant funding.