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    Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to Establish Body-Worn Cameras Program

    After being selected to receive grant funding from the new Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office will be establishing a new body-worn camera program. The dollars were prioritized by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in the state’s 2022-2023 operating budget, passed by the Ohio General Assembly last year. The grant announcement for 109 local law enforcement agencies was more than $4.7 million, with the total being closer to $10 million over the biennium.

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    Ohio does not mandate that law enforcement agencies use body-worn cameras, but this administration feels they are necessary for modern policing.

    “With these grants, more than four dozen law enforcement agencies that have never had body cameras before will be able to invest in this technology to help protect their officers and offer transparency to the public,” said Governor DeWine in a statement.

    That sentiment is in line with recommendations by the Council on Criminal Justice, an independent and nonpartisan organization that builds ‘consensus for solutions that enhance safety and justice for all.’ In an April 2021 study, the group found that “body-worn cameras can be effective in reducing public complaints, and potentially curbing police use of force, if the police agency has a strong accountability infrastructure in place.” 

    Their analyses also suggest that with proper implementation of a body-worn camera program, the taxpayer and overall societal benefits could outweigh the costs of purchasing and maintaining the cameras.

    The Sheriff’s Office will receive $232,200 to establish their new program. The dollars will be used to purchase the body-worn camera equipment. 

    The Sheriff’s Office employs 565-OPOTC (Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission) Deputies and the current plan is to outfit all of them with body-worn cameras, although the grant funding will not cover the entire cost. The Franklin County Board of Commissioners expects to invest a total of about $2.5 million to acquire the cameras, with the possibility of additional costs for long-term video storage.

    “Maintenance, upgrades, and storage will be paid for by money earmarked from the Franklin County general fund,” says Maureen Kocot, Media Relations Manager for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

    Sheriff deputies patrol approximately 261 miles of unincorporated roadways and has jurisdiction over all of Franklin County with a current population estimate exceeding 1.3 million people. 

    “No one wants body cameras more than me,” said Sheriff Dallas Baldwin. “Body cameras help ensure accountability and they help protect officers from unfair accusations. The Sheriff’s Office is thankful the Board of Commissioners has made body cameras a top priority and we hope to implement them on the streets as soon as possible.”

    The Sheriff’s Office stated they have been working closely with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Franklin County Administrator Ken Wilson, and the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office for nearly a year to select a vendor and develop a policy and contract that best serves everyone in Franklin County.

    “Body cameras can build trust between the community and the county sheriff’s department,” said Erica C. Crawley, Board of Commissioners President. “They can enhance the safety of both the deputies and the public, while increasing transparency. The Board of Commissioners is working with the sheriff and prosecutor’s office to craft appropriate policies for the cameras’ use, such as when the cameras are to be recording and how videos will be released.”

    The hope is to have the contract for purchasing the cameras before the commissioners for approval in February. Once they are purchased, it is estimated to take 6-8 weeks for the cameras to arrive. Then, there will be an additional 2-3 weeks for training before the cameras can be implemented. 

    Other Franklin County law enforcement agencies that received funding from this grant program to establish new body-worn camera programs include: Village of Obetz ($75,959.36), Hilliard Division of Police ($58,830), Grove City Police Department ($58,976.28), Upper Arlington Police Division ($62,355). The Blendon Township Police Department ($19,224) and Whitehall Division of Police ($46,675) already have programs established but also received grant dollars for maintenance, software, storage, and upgrades.

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    Anne Evans
    Anne Evanshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-evans/
    Anne Evans is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for The Metropreneur and Columbus Underground. She regularly contributes feature stories on both sites, as well as Mega Weekend each week. She has started and grown businesses, created experiences, forged community partnerships, and worked to create opportunities for others. She loves meeting new neighbors and those making an impact in our community. Want to connect?
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