Funding for body-worn and vehicle-mounted cameras

The Washoe County Board of County Commissioners may consider an increase in Washoe County’s 911 telephone line surcharge to help fund Portable Event Recorder Programs at regional law enforcement agencies. 

During the 2017 Nevada Legislative session, Nevada Senate Bill (SB) 176 was passed (amending NRS 289.30) requiring uniformed peace officers to wear body-worn cameras. In our region, the body-worn camera requirement applies to the City of Reno Police Department, the City of Sparks Police Department, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the Municipal Courts’ Marshals of the Cities of Reno and Sparks. Senate Bill 176 also authorized the use of 911 Ssurcharge funds to be used for the purchase of body-worn and vehicle-mounted cameras.    

While the 911 telephone line surcharge has been approved to support purchases of portable event recording devices, the surcharge has not been increased to cover the costs required to purchase the cameras, resulting in an unfunded mandate. In order to pay for the portable event recording device programs, the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners may consider increasing the 911 surcharge up to $1 per month for each access line to the local exchange of a telecommunications provider, up to $1 per month for each telephone number assigned to a customer of mobile telephone service, and up to $10 per month for each trunk line to the local exchange of a telecommunications provider. This is a potential increase of $0.75 for access lines and mobile telephone numbers and an increase of $7.50 for trunk lines.

As part of a Business Impact Study, Washoe County is inviting you to share your comments, concerns or data on the potential impacts of the proposed 911 surcharge increase on businesses in our region by:

Attending one of two Washoe County Workshops:

Date: Monday, December 11, 2017        
Time: Noon – 1:00 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. 
Location: Central Conference Room, Washoe County Administrative Complex, Building C, 1001 East Ninth Street, Reno, Nevada 89512.

Writing to us (no later than December 15, 2017):

• Website: https://www.washoecounty.us/technology/911_surcharge.php
• Postal mail (post-marked on or before December 15, 2017): Washoe County Department of Technology Services, Attn: 911 Surcharge, P.O. Box 11130, Reno, NV 89520-0027
• E-mail: Surcharge911@washoecounty.us  
• Fax: (775)328-3640 – Cover page, Attn: 911 Surcharge

We thank you in advance for your participation.