This Federal Award Will Help the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office Purchase 47 Body-Worn Cameras & Related Equipment

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today announced that — after Spanberger’s push — the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) awarded $74,736 in grant funding to the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office.

The Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office plans to use their nearly $75,000 grant award — the second-highest amount awarded in Virginia — to establish and implement a body-worn camera program in Culpeper County. The Office plans to purchase 47 body-worn cameras and related equipment for use by deputies.

“Getting more body-worn cameras into the hands of deputies in the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office will both help them do their jobs and increase trust between law enforcement and the Culpeper community,” said Spanberger. “Earlier this year, my team and I recognized that this funding opportunity would help provide Culpeper law enforcement with the tools, confidence, and resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. As a former federal law enforcement officer and a lawmaker who cares deeply about keeping our communities safe, I’m proud that we were able to help bring this funding home for the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office — and I want to thank Sheriff Chilton for his leadership.”

“Establishing a Body Worn Camera program was one of my top priories when I became Sheriff of Culpeper County. We are so fortunate to be awarded this grant as this agency was about 10 years behind when I took office in technology and cutting-edge investigative tools,” said Sheriff Timothy Chilton, Sheriff, Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office. “I continue to diligently pursue opportunities to purchase equipment and technology that will benefit our office. Body Worn Cameras promote transparency and preserve unbiased evidence and having a Body Worn Camera program promotes safety to our entire community.”

“The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors are grateful for the Small, Rural, Tribal Body Worn Camera micro-grant program,” said Paul Bates, Chairman, Culpeper County Board of Supervisors. “Culpeper County will utilize these funds to establish a Body Worn Camera program and provide our Sheriff’s Office with the necessary equipment to do so.”

This funding is made possible through the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and Justice & Security Strategies (JSS) Small, Rural, and Tribal Body-Worn Camera Program — a micro-grant program that aims to support law enforcement agencies seeking to establish or expand comprehensive body-worn camera programs and have specified plans to implement this technology. 

BACKGROUND

This month, the BJA and JSS announced that they will award a total of $6 million to 170 small, rural, and tribal law enforcement agencies looking to purchase or upgrade body-worn cameras. The grantees include 112 small towns, 40 county sheriff’s and county police agencies, 12 federally recognized tribal law enforcement agencies, and six other agencies. The Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office is one of seven law enforcement organizations across Virginia that will receive this funding.

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