The U.S. Department of Justice awarded $19.3 million in grants Monday to dozens of police departments that want to start using body cameras, but rejected even more applicants that hope to deploy the technology.
The department said grants will go to 73 police agencies in 42 states, helping purchase 21,000 cameras that officers wear on their uniforms to record interactions with citizens. More than 200 other police agencies that applied were passed over for funding.
In all, 285 departments sought $56 million under the program, announced by the Obama administration in May.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Monday that the 73 grant awards exceeded the 50 originally envisioned. She says an additional $1.9 million will support research in Miami, Milwaukee and Phoenix into the impact of body cameras on community relations.
