The Delphi Police Department showcased its new technology that has been implemented with the aid of a grant totaling just over $122,000 with the aid of a grant-writing program.
In 2023, the Delphi Police Department entered into a contract with Lexipol Grant Writing Services, which totaled $10,000 for the 2-year contract with $4,500 paid in 2023 and $5,500 paid in 2024. The Carroll County Prosecutor’s Office aided the department in securing the contract by supplying $3,500 in support of the service.
The department stated that the first grant applied for through the program was the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which awarded the department with $122,164 for eight in-car camera systems, six ballistics windshields and two Flock Safety cameras.
The cameras reportedly pair with the department’s Axon Body 3 cameras, and when certain criteria are met, the car camera is triggered to record it while also activating all body cameras within the Bluetooth range to begin recording. The front of the cameras reportedly hosts two lenses, one evidence camera and one automatic license plate reader camera. The cameras allow for the officers to instantly check license plates against the national database for stolen vehicles, missing persons, Amber Alerts and more. The system also includes a camera in the prisoner transport area.
The windshields provide protection to the officers, civilian riders and prisoners, and the department stated that recent responses to barricaded suspects and a recent hostage situation proved that ballistic protection for perimeter units is invaluable to the force.
The Flock Safety license plate recognition cameras are commonly utilized by Homeowners Associations, businesses and law enforcement, and the system has been credited with locating a missing Delphi juvenile in Oklahoma, locating wanted suspects and more.
“Thank you to those individuals and other departments that wrote letters in support of this grant,” the department released. “We are excited to be catching up to agencies in surrounding counties that have already had this technology in place for some time.
– Photo courtesy of DPD