NEWS

Ohio Senate president: Keep body cameras running

Jessie Balmert
Gannett Ohio

CINCINNATI – Ohio Senate President Keith Faber wants police officers to wear body cameras that never shut off.

Grunge state of Ohio flag map

Faber, R-Celina, said he wants to avoid this scenario: a police officer confronts some teenagers outside a football game. A teenager pulls a knife and the police officer shoots him. But what if the officer turned off his body camera four minutes earlier to have a conversation with his wife.

"I now have a question: why was it off? And that's a bigger problem and that's going to hurt community confidence. That's going to hurt my confidence. I would like it always on," Faber told the (Cincinnati) Enquirer editorial board Monday.

Body cameras have been a subject of debate across the nation after then-University of Cincinnati Officer Ray Tensing fatally shot Samuel DuBose on July 19. Tensing initially stopped DuBose for missing a front license plate. The officer's body camera footage was critical in the decision to indict Tensing on murder and other charges. He has pleaded not guilty.

State Rep. Kevin Boyce, D-Columbus, plans to introduce a proposal to equip Ohio's more than 25,000 police officers with body cameras. The idea has broad support from police and citizens who say video footage will help protect their side of the story.

But some fear body cameras will impinge on privacy and cost millions to equip officers with the cameras and store the footage.

Faber said those concerns should be addressed by law enforcement, prosecutors and city council members rather than lawmakers. Whether a police officer can turn off a video camera in the bathroom shouldn't be his call, the senate president said.

Footage captured by body cameras should be public record unless it is being used for an open investigation, said Faber, a former prosecutor.

"In my world, the initial confrontation ought to be public record but the follow up ... that shouldn't be," Faber said.

Faber also weighed in on eliminating front license plates in Ohio — a proposal introduced earlier this year which gained attention after DuBose's death. The change would save an estimated $1.4 million and bring Ohio in line with neighboring states, which do not require two license plates.

"I've been for getting rid of the front license plate issue for years," Faber said. The police union opposes the proposal, saying stopping people for missing front license plates helps to solve crimes.

"(Police) will tell you that it saves lives, and I'm not sure it's worth the expense," he added.

jbalmert@gannett.com

Twitter: @jbalmert