The city of Madison and Madison Community Foundation Thursday announced a plan in which the foundation will provide the city with a $350,000 grant to accelerate the implementation of body-worn cameras for the Madison Police Department.
To achieve a full rollout in 2027, the funds will cover implementation costs associated with software and civilian personnel.
In the aftermath of the fatal police shooting of Corey Ruiz, Madison Mayer Satya Rhodes-Conway included funding in her proposed 2027 budget to phase in a body-worn camera program over three years, but the grant enables the city to equip all public-facing officers with cameras by the end of 2027.
Rhodes-Conway said she will propose an amendment to her budget plan to provide the required match for a federal grant to fund the purchase of a full complement of body-worn cameras.
Bob Sorge, retiring president and CEO of Madison Community Foundation, said the foundation tries to identify opportunities where philanthropy can make a meaningful impact.
“In this case, the community has made clear that greater transparency in interactions between police and residents is crucial to building trust,” Sorge said in a press release.
