All Ohio Highway Patrol Officers to Get Bodycams by Next Year

COLUMBUS, OH—The state of Ohio will spend $15 million to equip 1,550 non-administrative Ohio Highway Patrol officers with body cameras that will be integrated with existing dashboard cameras and rear-seat cameras in police cruisers for simultaneous recording, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday.

"When the lights and sirens start rolling, so will the body cameras," the governor said.

The cameras will be rolled out gradually patrol district by district, starting first with Columbus. The last, set for April, will be the Findlay post, which covers much of northwest Ohio, followed by patrol headquarters. The order was set according to the districts that have the oldest in-car systems.

The roll-out is expected to be completed by May. The cameras will be integrated with 1,221 new in-car systems.

This marks the most obvious example of Mr. DeWine's plan, announced last year, for the state to help make such cameras available to all police departments across the state. He made the promise last summer in the heat of race-related protests at the Statehouse — with highway patrol officers on the front lines — and in cities across Ohio that followed several high-profile police-related shootings.

The first step was a $10 million appropriation in the state's two-year budget that took effect in July to help local police departments cover the costs of purchasing cameras, storing the voluminous information collected, and responding to public records requests for the video.

The state received $16 million in requests for the first $5 million that will be made available. Awards are expected to be announced before the end of the year.

"The price is a big reason why a lot of smaller agencies do not have body cameras," Mr. DeWine said. "The one-time cost of purchasing cameras is one thing, but storing and retaining the videos is another significant cost that many times prohibits local law enforcement from utilizing them."

He said there are talks with the General Assembly about providing additional funds for this purpose.

While state troopers will have the discretion to turn off a camera when it is deemed justified, such as when interacting with a victim whose privacy must be protected or something as simple as taking a restroom break. But the officer will have to explain the reason on camera before turning it off.

An officer who is found to have turned off a camera without justification could face discipline, patrol Superintendent Richard Fambro said

"The body cameras add another level of transparency, and we welcome that...," he said. "We do not shy away from being transparent with the public. This is how we build public trust with the communities we serve throughout the state of Ohio."

Ohio generally does not mandate officer body cameras, but it has set minimum standards for when they should be turned on and how data should be stored. Despite the cost, many city police departments have moved in this direction anyway to address concerns by the public and help in investigating officer-involved shootings.

The cameras will be worn by field officers, staff lieutenants, motor carrier enforcement officers and their supervisors, police officers, investigative unit agents, and assistant agents. They will not be worn by those with administrative duties only.

The cost will be paid out of the patrol's normal operating budget over five years.

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