Ohio’s new law allows public fees for police video footage, raising concerns about access and transparency
Columbus: So, Ohio’s Governor Mike DeWine just signed a new law that’s got people talking. It’s all about charging the public for police video footage, like body cam recordings.
This law is part of a big 450-page bill. Basically, it says that if you want to see that footage, you might have to pay for it. They’ll charge you the “estimated cost” to process the video, which could be up to $75 an hour, or a total of $750 for each request.
Now, here’s the kicker: you have to pay before they’ll hand over the footage. Legal experts are worried this could make it harder for folks to access these public records, which is a big deal.
Interestingly, this part of the law didn’t get much public attention before it was added. DeWine mentioned that while they want to honor these requests quickly, small police departments might struggle with the workload.
He pointed out that with all these body cameras out there, there’s just a ton of video to sift through. It’s not about whether you can get the footage, but more about how much it’ll cost to get it.
DeWine insists he supports the public’s right to access information. He claims this new fee structure doesn’t change that right, but he’s also aware that the tech changes have put a strain on law enforcement.
He argued that police shouldn’t have to pull officers off the streets just to deal with video requests. Some of these requests even come from companies looking to profit off the footage.
In the end, DeWine sees this law as a way to balance the need for public records with the costs involved in providing them. The fee is optional, depending on the agency’s choice.
