By Carolyn Lee
The Imperial Republican
Both the Chase County Sheriff’s Department and Imperial Police Department have received grant funding assistance to obtain in-car camera systems.
Fred Zwonechek, Administrator for the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, said the sheriff’s office received $6,592.50 and the police department received $3,296.25.
Both departments applied for the grant funding.
Sheriff Kevin Mueller said one of the two cameras his department received will replace an old system. The other will be placed in his vehicle, which didn’t have one.
As Mueller also received money for two cameras last year, he said all four patrol cars will now have the systems.
The in-car camera obtained by the police department will be placed in the patrol car used by former Chief Larry Browning, which is now being used for night patrol. That vehicle had not had a camera before.
The cameras record forward from the car. They also view back into the prisoner area of the vehicle.
Mueller noted that 75 percent of the cameras are funded through the grant and 25 percent from the STOP alcohol program fees.
Zwonechek said the highway safety alcohol incentive funds are used to aid local area law enforcement in obtaining both the cameras and alcohol testing equipment used to assist in the apprehension and conviction of drinking drivers.
“This funding and the ongoing persistence of law enforcement personnel continues to impact alcohol-related crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities,” he noted.