COLUMBUS, OH - Members of the public may now have to pay for access to police body camera footage from agencies in the state of Ohio, under a new law signed into effect on Thursday.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a 450-page omnibus bill into effect which includes a provision allowing law enforcement agencies to charge members of the public for the footage, according to People. The provision allows agencies to charge $75 an hour for the time spent preparing footage for release in response to a public records request, with a maximum charge of $750. The fee is to be collected before the footage is released under the provision.
DeWine claimed that he was a supporter of public records provisions that allow members of the public to request the footage, while pointing to what he described as an onerous cost to law enforcement agencies in the form of combing through and editing footage for release to the public, speaking in a press release about the measure released on Thursday night. The provision will also apply to records such as dash cameras on police cars and surveillance cameras from jails and prisons.
"Law enforcement-worn body cameras and dashboard cameras have been a major improvement for both law enforcement investigations and for accountability."
"However, I am sensitive to the fact that this changing technology has affected law enforcement by oftentimes creating unfunded burdens on these agencies, especially when it comes to the often time-consuming and labor-intensive work it takes to provide them as public records."
Police body camera footage often has to be edited for legal requirements before being released to the public. The identities of individuals not involved in the criminal justice system often has to be concealed, and sensitive information that could pose a threat to members of the public has to be censored before entering the public domain.
One Republican state lawmaker involved in the drafting of the provision, Niraj Antani, expressed concern with the cost members of the public may have to pay to obtain what are legally public records.
“When I sponsored HB 425, which established public record law for police worn body camera videos, our goal was to ensure the public and news media had clear access to body camera videos of public concern. Certainly, the cost of properly blurring out the videos and storage was something we discussed at length with our law enforcement partners."
Agencies don't have to assess the cost to members of the public requesting records. Under the provision, members of the public will have the right to inspect records themselves and record them with their own personal cameras, according to People.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a 450-page omnibus bill into effect which includes a provision allowing law enforcement agencies to charge members of the public for the footage, according to People. The provision allows agencies to charge $75 an hour for the time spent preparing footage for release in response to a public records request, with a maximum charge of $750. The fee is to be collected before the footage is released under the provision.
DeWine claimed that he was a supporter of public records provisions that allow members of the public to request the footage, while pointing to what he described as an onerous cost to law enforcement agencies in the form of combing through and editing footage for release to the public, speaking in a press release about the measure released on Thursday night. The provision will also apply to records such as dash cameras on police cars and surveillance cameras from jails and prisons.
"Law enforcement-worn body cameras and dashboard cameras have been a major improvement for both law enforcement investigations and for accountability."
"However, I am sensitive to the fact that this changing technology has affected law enforcement by oftentimes creating unfunded burdens on these agencies, especially when it comes to the often time-consuming and labor-intensive work it takes to provide them as public records."
Police body camera footage often has to be edited for legal requirements before being released to the public. The identities of individuals not involved in the criminal justice system often has to be concealed, and sensitive information that could pose a threat to members of the public has to be censored before entering the public domain.
One Republican state lawmaker involved in the drafting of the provision, Niraj Antani, expressed concern with the cost members of the public may have to pay to obtain what are legally public records.
“When I sponsored HB 425, which established public record law for police worn body camera videos, our goal was to ensure the public and news media had clear access to body camera videos of public concern. Certainly, the cost of properly blurring out the videos and storage was something we discussed at length with our law enforcement partners."
Agencies don't have to assess the cost to members of the public requesting records. Under the provision, members of the public will have the right to inspect records themselves and record them with their own personal cameras, according to People.
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments
2025-01-05T15:56-0500 | Comment by: gracey
ought to be part of public records that the American tax dollars paid for!
2025-01-05T19:32-0500 | Comment by: Larry
This is as cheesy as it gets. If they've done nothing wrong, they shouldn't mind anyone viewing the footage.
2025-01-05T20:31-0500 | Comment by: James
How about you folks in Ohio just SLAP the low life scum down and TAKE them .... There is not a single bit of it that hasn't already been paid for by the people of Ohio, the specific purpose of it in legislation is for being available to the people of Ohio .... SMACK em down folks ........
2025-01-05T20:35-0500 | Comment by: RAYMOND
Poor people could never afford to question police brutality