The Platte County Sheriff’s Office is seeking funding assistance to purchase body cams for deputies patrolling Platte County’s streets.
Major Erik Holland said body cams have proved to be a vital law enforcement tool, assisting in officer safety and in prosecutions. As such, the office is working to locate funding sources for cameras. Two grant applications were approved by Platte County Commissioners at the Monday, Dec. 5 meeting held in Kansas City North.
Holland said the office was applying for state grant funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to purchase 15 body cameras for officers. The application is for nearly $40,000 in funding and if approved requires a matching amount from the county, either from the county’s ARPA funding or through the general fund.
A related block grant application for approximately $10,000 was also approved and would pay for additional cameras, allowing about half of the county’s patrol force to be equipped with body cam technology.
Also at the meeting, the commissioners approved changes to traffic ordinances, specifically regarding parking on streets in several areas. The last of three public hearings was held, with no comments heard.
According to director of public works Bob Heim, the Platte City Special Road District requested the county ban parking on Running Horse Road from Northwest 120th Street north to the Platte City limits and on Northwest 136th Street from Running Horse Road to the Kansas City limits.
Other parking bans are proposed on Blair Road from Highway 45 to Eastside Drive; from Blair Road to the Parkville city limits; Eastside Drive from Parkville city limits to Weatherby Lake city limits; Graden Road from Highway 45 to Blair Road; Kerns Road from Blair Road to the Weatherby Lake city limits; Northwest 50th Street from 6560 to 6712 on the northwest side; South Crooked Road from Highway 45 to Raintree Drive; Northwest 76th Street from Fox Road to Schuyler Drive on the north side, during snow events; and Village Circle Drive during snow events.