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Metro East police departments awarded body camera grant

The $225,000 grant was recently awarded to the East St. Louis and Alton police departments.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — Two police departments in the Metro East were recently awarded a grant to go towards providing body cameras for officers.

The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the $225,000 grant to the East St. Louis and Alton police departments. The funds will go towards the Body-Worn Camera program.

The program will assist with the “de-escalation of conflicts, reduce instances of force, injuries to police officers and citizens, and complaints of police misconduct," according to a press release from East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III's office.

The digital evidence gained through the use of the body cameras will also be useful for criminal investigations and court proceedings, the release stated.

"We are excited to receive this grant because this will allow our police department to be in compliance with the 2025 deadline for all police in Illinois to utilize Body-Worn Cameras while on active duty per the Illinois Law Enforcement Officer Worn Body Camera Act," Eastern said.

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