The city of scranton's police department (SPD) will utilize funding to realize upgrades to its technology and training

The City of Scranton's Police Department (SPD) was awarded a $3,500,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Congressionally Recommended Awards program (CFDA 16.753) to upgrade the department's technology and training. The funding will enable SPD to procure and implement body-worn cameras, mobile video recorders/dash cams, and TASER devices, as well as virtual reality-based use of force, de-escalation, and community interaction training for officers. This investment is expected to provide cost savings, improve investigative capabilities, and enhance the department's ability to manage use of force reporting and conduct supervisor audits. The award has an initial 3-year period of performance and is intended to be fully obligated and expended by the end of Fiscal Year 2023.

This will provide SPD with cost savings as well as a consistent predictability of having state of the art technology and equipment. Spds current method of purchasing is expensive to maintain. SPD will employ its new equipment and technology to move beyond incident reporting and tasers to the development of police personnel and the addition of supervisory tools. SPD will employ its new equipment and technology to manage use of force reporting, direct supervisor audits of specific incident types and will add a training module for officers. The training will use a virtual reality program not only in use of force but also for DE-escalation and community interaction modules. Additionally, similar to bullet resistant vests, the taser manufacturer only backs their product for five years, transferring liability to the city. Further, when an in-car camera fails that is not under warranty IT costs $5,000 to replace. Our intention is to lock rates in FY23 for the body worn cameras (BWC), mobile video recorder (MVR-dashcam) and tasers. The mvrs will also be license plate readers. This greatly increases spds investigative capacity. As soon as funding is approved to the city, the city will procure the services of a vendor to provide the technology, equipment and services identified. All funding approved to the city will be paid to the vendor within the confines of FY23, but while all funding will be obligated up front, the city's engagement with the chosen vendor will only be binding for 36 months.