Obama seeking for $263 mln for federal response to Ferguson issue

US President Barack Obama speaks during a meeting with elected officials, community and faith leaders and law enforcement officials at the White House in Washington December 1, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON -- US President Barack Obama on Monday announced $263 million in funding for law enforcement agencies to purchase body-worn cameras and improve training of police across the country.

Obama made the announcement during a series of meetings with his cabinet, civil rights leaders and law enforcement officials, according to a White House statement.

Obama noted that the fund he asked for is a respond to the issue related with last week's decision of the Missouri grand jury not to indict police officer Darren Wilson, who shot Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American youth, in Ferguson.

Of the fund, $75 million will be used to purchase up to 50,000 body-worn cameras for police departments nationwide to record police on the job.

Obama called on the Congress to approve the fund request, which is not considered emergency funding but expands his budget request for fiscal 2015.

Analysts said that Obama's announcement could be a new effort to build better trust between law enforcement and their communities.

During the protests after the death of Brown in August, the Ferguson police has been criticizing on the use of stun guns, rubber bullets and other military equipment against protesters.