Indianapolis businesses can apply for public safety technology grant

INDIANAPOLIS — As the City of Indianapolis continues to work on reducing crime, $500,000 is being set aside to help equip small businesses with b-link cameras.

The b-link program allows personal and business security cameras to join a network of live-stream video access for IMPD to utilize in the event of a crime or incident in the vicinity.

"The reality is we are never going to have enough police officers to address the crime in our community and this is a way that we can address crime in our neighborhoods," said IMPD Deputy Chief of Investigations Kendale Adams.

Currently, 33 businesses have more than 120 cameras registered. The program launched in 2019.

The cameras are intended to reduce the amount of time it takes to get footage from cameras to investigators. When someone calls 911, officers will be able to watch the incident as it happens —providing more information for first responders and ideally leading to quicker arrests.

Now, small businesses can apply for a one-time grant up to $2,500 to install and manage business cameras.

"Honestly I would have like to see the program grow farther than it is today. Any visibility that helps IMPD outside of our business is fantastic," Dave Andrus, the owner of Pearl Street Pizzeria and Pub, said. "We want to keep patrons safe but also my staff when they are leaving work at night."

Businesses can also connect already in-service security cameras or apply to offset the cost of camera installation through the b-link Pro program

For more information about the program or to apply for funding, click here.

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