Ohio Lawmakers Sneak In a New Law to Charge Public for Police Body Camera Videos
Ohioans will now likely have to pay hundreds of dollars to see police videos after Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed a large bill into law late Thursday night that includes a provision allowing police departments to charge for dashboard, jailhouse surveillance, and body camera footage.
DeWine declined to exercise his line-item veto power over the provision, citing the burden on small police departments inundated with time-consuming requests for body camera footage. However, media organizations, civil liberties groups, and transparency advocates argue that the amendment to Ohio’s Sunshine Law, which was tucked into a last-minute omnibus bill and never received any public debate, will make police oversight prohibitively expensive.
Gunita Singh at the Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) tells Reason that the amendment is “a step backwards when we need to be moving forward on the issue of greater sunlight over body worn camera footage.”
“The public and the press rely on Ohio’s access provisions to timely receive important government documents, including those of police departments; nothing—especially costly, unnecessary fees—should stand in the way of fostering the transparency and accountability that our public records laws are designed to facilitate,” Singh says.
Under Ohio’s new law, departments can charge requesters up to $75 per hour of footage in labor costs for reviewing, redacting, and uploading it. Total fees are capped at $750, and agencies can choose to release the footage for free.
In a press statement, DeWine said, “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,” DeWine continued.
DeWine called the bill “a workable
Article from Reason.com
The Reason Magazine website is a go-to destination for libertarians seeking cogent analysis, investigative reporting, and thought-provoking commentary. Championing the principles of individual freedom, limited government, and free markets, the site offers a diverse range of articles, videos, and podcasts that challenge conventional wisdom and advocate for libertarian solutions. Whether you’re interested in politics, culture, or technology, Reason provides a unique lens that prioritizes liberty and rational discourse. It’s an essential resource for those who value critical thinking and nuanced debate in the pursuit of a freer society.
