Belleville Police Officers to get body cams by way of grant, donations

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
The Belleville Police Department will be getting 10 body cameras and supporting equipment if it can come up with $2,750 in donations by April.
At Monday’s regular meeting of the city council, Police Chief Hal Berriman announced that on Nov. 20 he got word that a grant of $2,750 was approved by the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA) for body cameras.
The department has to come up with a matching amount within six months to get the grant. He said he believed the community would help with donations.
Chief Berriman said former Police Chief Gene Taylor had originally gone out for the grant and then he reapplied.
Chief Taylor said, “I was working on it and couldn’t find the extra money to do it.” He said the application went dormant and then Chief Berriman reapplied.
Chief Berriman said the total is $4,000 for 10 body cameras and $1,500 for the support equipment.
City Manager Diana Kollmeyer said former Van Buren Township Fire Chief Al Smolen is one of the Risk Managers for the MMRMA and he has been very helpful.
Kollmeyer said, with his help, the city is going to apply for a grant for security equipment for city hall.