Lisle police to begin wearing body cameras thanks to federal grant

Lisle police on Wednesday announced the department has secured a grant to purchase body-worn cameras for its officers.

As part of sweeping criminal justice reform in Illinois, all police officers statewide must wear body cameras by 2025. Lisle police will receive $78,000 through a micro-grant program established by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance to help small, rural and tribal law enforcement agencies roll out body cameras.

"Bodycams offer the opportunity to document encounters with the public and capture video evidence," Police Chief Kevin Licko said. "All Lisle officers are looking forward to strapping the cameras on."

All 38 police officers will be wearing cameras when required by law.

"This award will make it possible for our agency to provide a higher level of transparency, accountability, and safety to the residents of Lisle," Licko said in the grant announcement. "Further, the purchase and use of body-worn cameras will comply with the state of Illinois SAFE-T Act, which mandates body-worn cameras be implemented by January 1, 2025."

An exact date for the camera rollout has not yet been set. The Lisle village board must first sign off on the purchase of the devices.

Once approved, the order will get placed with the vendor, and hopefully the cameras will arrive quickly, Licko said. Then, there will be a few days of setup and familiarization with the technology, Licko said.

Police in Lemont, Oakbrook Terrace, South Barrington, South Elgin and Wauconda are among the Chicago-area recipients of the latest round of grants.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance said it will provide $7.1 million to 265 small, rural and tribal law enforcement agencies for body-worn cameras. The agency selected a consulting firm, Justice & Security Strategies Inc., to administer the competitive grant program.