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Hitchcock approves applications for state grants to cover body‑camera lease and ALPR expansion
Summary
The council authorized the police department to apply for two Office of the Governor public safety grants: a one‑year grant to cover up to 75% of the department's body‑camera lease (requesting $12,210) and a Project Safe Neighborhoods grant to cover FY26 ALPR fees and install nine cameras ($32,005.50).
The Hitchcock City Council on Jan. 9 authorized the police department to apply for two state public-safety grants: one to offset the department's body-camera lease and another to expand automated license plate reader (ALPR) coverage.
The police department requested permission to apply for a one‑year Office of the Governor grant to cover up to 75% of the city's annual body‑camera lease. The department said its annual lease cost for body cameras is $16,281; at a 75% award the city would request $12,210. The council approved the resolution to apply.
"The current bill that we're responsible for annually in our lease for body cams alone is $16,281," said a Hitchcock Police Department representative. He said the grant is for one year and "there's a potential that it will be a recurring grant."
Separately, the council approved a resolution to seek funding through the Project Safe Neighborhoods grant program to cover $32,005.50 in FY26 costs for the department's ALPR (automated license plate reader) system and the installation of nine additional cameras. The department said that the Project Safe Neighborhoods award would be a percent‑funded grant with no city match required.
A police captain described current camera placement and the proposed additional locations: the city now has three fixed ALPR cameras at the north city limits (on Fairwood, Delaney and 519), with plans to add cameras at other city limits and at Highway 6 east/west approaches; two cameras would be mobile deployable units. The department said ALPR data is stored in a cloud system, retained 90 days, and is not continuously live‑monitored.
The captain credited ALPR use in a prior case: "The flock program has proven to be extremely beneficial. We directly used it to find who was responsible... and we were able to have her return home from Kansas City in less than 5 days," he said.
Both grant‑application resolutions passed by unanimous voice vote. Staff said if awarded the grants, the city would reduce recurring budgeted costs for the current fiscal year or add equipment paid through the grant.
