HEBRON | The Town Council agreed to provide the $12,000 needed to get a grant for cameras in the police cars, but it would not agree to promote an officer before the end of his probationary status at a cost of $662.

Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., obtained a $50,000 federal grant for the cameras, which require the $12,000 matching share from the town. Police Chief Steve Sibbrell said the grant will be used to buy eight cameras to equip all the town's patrol cars. He hopes to get the cameras in February.

The digital cameras will record everything in front and behind the squad cars and be equipped with a crash sensor that will automatically save all images recorded beginning two minutes before an accident. The town's portion of the money will come from its share of the county economic development income tax.

To get the best equipment available, Sibbrell said he and another officer will be looking at camera equipment in January when he attends the annual Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Indianapolis.

Sibbrell asked the council to approve promoting Officer Anthony Frencl to corporal with a corresponding hike in pay that comes with the rank. Frencl was hired in May and is still under the one-year probationary status required of all officers. Sibbrell said Frencl has done more than is required, worked extra patrols and deserved the promotion.

He tried to get a raise for Frencl at last month's meeting, but the council declined. Sibbrell hoped the promotion would provide the raise he intended to give him. When the council again refused to act on the request, Sibbrell asked them to reconsider, saying he had the money in his budget for the pay increase. Frencl would be paid $32,000 in 2009.

Although Sibbrell said Frencl would remain on probation until May as required, the council declined to act a third time. Sibbrell said he didn't promise the raise to Frencl, only that he would ask the council for it. Council members said last month they were worried about setting a precedent of granting a raise before the probation period ended.