DOVER, Del. (AP) — A state law enforcement panel on Wednesday approved grant applications totaling almost $900,000 from police departments across Delaware, even as some police chiefs raised concerns about how much the public should know about how its money is being spent.
The applications approved Wednesday by the Fund to Combat Violent Crime Committee were the first under a law passed last year to give police agencies in Delaware more resources. The money will be used for a variety of equipment purchases and program operations.
The law established a new $15 penalty on people convicted of crimes or offenses. Money from the penalties is shared by the Department of Safety and Homeland Security and local law enforcement agencies, with a total of about $1.78 million distributed in the first year.
Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security Lewis Schiliro said his department’s share would be used to hire about six new state troopers.
Among the requests approved for local law enforcement agencies were $134,917 for the New Castle County Police Department, including $50,000 to purchase 50 wearable cameras for patrol officers, and $127,693 in overtime funds for the Wilmington police department’s effort to reduce violent crime in Delaware largest city.
The Dover Police Department received $46,785, including $15,000 to buy sniper rifles, while the Dewey Beach Police Department was granted $15,809 to buy a citywide closed-circuit TV surveillance system.
Requests from other police departments ranged from computer equipment and cameras to new radios, stun guns and handguns.
The only request that generated any discussion was the Newark Police Department’s application for $39,200 to buy and outfit a new Chevrolet Caprice for its special operations unit. Officials noted that program guidelines do not allow funding for equipment to “justify the existence” of a police department, such as patrol cars, uniforms and cell phones. But they agreed that an established agency such as the Newark police department could request funds for a special-purpose vehicle.
Schiliro, the committee chairman, said the panel was relatively lenient in approving the first round of applications, but he suggested that future requests will face tougher scrutiny.
“We said we would be rather liberal, and we did that,” said Schiliro, who encouraged police agencies to collaborate and think more strategically in applying for future grants.
As the meeting drew to a close, Milton Police Chief William Phillips expressed concern that the committee was subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Another chief noted that he heard a radio report about Wednesday’s meeting, which had been the subject of an Associated Press article.
Phillips said he was worried about criminals and drug dealers knowing what kind of equipment police agencies have, such as the $7,239 TigerCam 10 wireless surveillance camera for which he requested and received funding.
Tom Ellis, a deputy attorney general assigned to the committee, suggested that the panel’s future business could be structured to take advantage of FOIA exemptions for records related to homeland security and anti-terrorism efforts.
But Georgetown Police Chief William Topping said he thought the FOIA exemptions are aimed at law enforcement techniques, not equipment.
While noting that procurement details are typically subject to public scrutiny, Schiliro said the issue is worth researching “if divulging the brand of camera is somehow going to give the bad guys any advantage … ”
