Safety and Homeland Security seeks funding for body‑worn camera bundle, vehicle inflation and forensic capacity; committee flags DNA backlog risk
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Summary
Secretary Josh Bushweller presented DSHS priorities including an Axon officer safety bundle ($2.9M recommended), vehicle replacement inflation, an intelligence management system, and canine replacements after marijuana legalization; lawmakers asked how unawarded federal grants and a potential DNA backlog could affect prosecutions.
Secretary Josh Bushweller told the Joint Finance Committee that the Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s FY27 governor’s recommended budget advances a set of technology and public‑safety investments while warning of uncertainty in federal grants.
Why it matters: The department’s recommended list includes items that affect frontline public safety operations and investigative capacity across the state. Members expressed particular concern about the Division of Forensic Science’s DNA backlog and the potential effect on criminal prosecutions if federal grant awards are delayed.
Bushweller highlighted five prioritized items in the recommended budget: the consolidation of body‑worn cameras, tasers and in‑car cameras into an Axon officer safety bundle ($2,923,500 total request, with $2,773,500 recommended in OMB’s review); $148,000 for training ammunition; $517,000 to cover vehicle replacement inflation; $880,000 for the SAS intelligence and investigative management system; and $115,200 to replace canines whose detection profiles are complicated by marijuana legalization.
He also detailed recent accomplishments — new State Police Troop 6, radio system upgrades, improved accreditation among law‑enforcement agencies, DEMA school safety exercises and a new Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety — and noted the department’s reliance on federal grants, including the Emergency Management Performance Grant and Homeland Security grants, both of which have seen award delays.
Concerns about forensics and staffing: Members asked if a reduced or delayed federal award would force the DNA unit to use general funds, potentially slowing forensic testing. Bushweller confirmed loans on that front would threaten turnaround times for prosecutions. Delaware State Police leadership added staffing context: the department’s authorized sworn complement is 764 troopers, with roughly 694 active troopers reported and increased application volumes for academy classes but a small percentage of applicants ultimately qualified.
What comes next: Committee members asked DSHS and OMB to remain in close communication as federal grant outcomes become known; the committee also signaled interest in procurement and staffing plans to offset inflationary operating pressures.