NEWS

Added push for police body cameras after DuBose death

Jessie Balmert

COLUMBUS – Without body camera footage, everyone would hear only one story of how Samuel DuBose died — the word of the former officer accused of killing him.

That’s why leaders across Ohio are calling for all police officers to wear body cameras.

DuBose, 43, was fatally shot July 19 after a calm exchange with former University of Cincinnati officer Ray Tensing about whether DuBose had a driver’s license. His last words were “I didn't even do nothing,” video from Tensing’s body camera showed.

But that wasn’t how Tensing, 25, described the scene. He told authorities that there was a struggle, he was dragged by DuBose’s car and he feared for his life.

That unbiased video evidence, which was so critical to Tensing’s indictment, should be available to prosecutors across the state, said the Rev. Damon Lynch III, pastor of New Prospect Baptist Church and member of the Ohio Task Force on Community-Police Relations.

State Rep. Kevin Boyce, D-Columbus, wants do just that: equip the state’s more than 25,000 police officers with body cameras. If passed, it would be the most comprehensive law in the nation. It also would cost millions of dollars.

Rep. Alicia Reece, D-Bond Hill, wants even quicker action: an executive order from Gov. John Kasich requiring body cameras for all Ohio officers now.

“I cannot wait on political posturing between the House and the Senate. I need some immediate action,” Reece said.

Why aren’t there more?

Few would argue that body cameras would hurt police work. People feel safer knowing officers are being watched, and criminals might be less likely to attack police if they know they are being caught on tape.

The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio found 93 percent of complaints against police officers wearing body cameras were refuted by video evidence, secretary Mark Drum said.

Videos, like the one of DuBose’s death, also can be used in training to teach new recruits how to de-escalate traffic stops, said Nina Turner, co-chairwoman of the Ohio Task Force on Community-Police Relations.

“It should be shown in every single training scenario of what not to do,” said Turner, whose son is a police officer.

But just over one-fourth of sheriff’s offices in Ohio equipped officers with body cameras and at least 30 agencies didn’t even have cruiser cameras, according to a June investigation. With all the benefits, why isn’t every officer across America already wearing a body camera?

One problem is money. Body cameras cost between $120 and $2,000, depending on the model, and that means the initial investment could range from $3 million to $50 million.

But the cost of storing video surveillance is even pricier. The New Orleans Police Department estimated it would spend $1.2 million over five years to store videos recorded by 350 officers, according to a Police Executive Research Forum report.

Still, President Barack Obama promised $75 million over three years for local police departments to help purchase as many as 50,000 body cameras. Boyce said he’s looking for state money to offset the cost of buying cameras before he introduces the bill later this year.

Lynch knows the cameras will cost money, but he argues the price of not equipping police officers is even higher.

“The cost of body cameras nowhere compares to the cost of life and the cost of knowing the truth,” he said.

Another concern is privacy. For example, what if a domestic violence victim calls police to her home? Beaten and bloody, she doesn’t want officers to record her conversation, knowing the video, a public record, could be requested later. Can she ask officers to turn off the tape? Would they be penalized if they do?

Another concern is a complicated web of policies for law enforcement agencies. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers argue they don’t need body cameras because every cruiser is equipped with a dash camera that captures all interactions with drivers, Sgt. Vincent Shirey said.

Ohio has no statewide policy on when body cameras should be used and no clear policy on whether recordings are public records, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters refused to release video of DuBose’s death for 10 days, arguing that it could jeopardize the investigation, despite threats of a lawsuit from The Cincinnati Enquirer and other media outlets.

The task force on community-police relations, established by Gov. Kasich after a 12-year-old with an air soft gun was fatally shot in Cleveland, is working on those statewide policies, Turner said. But Ohio’s top cop said he would leave the decisions to each department.

“I suspect it’s unlikely that there will be a statewide policy on how (body cameras) are used. It’s usually left up to the local community,” DeWine said.

Momentum for change

Until last month, no state required police officers in every department to wear body cameras. South Carolina became the first when it passed the most comprehensive law to date. There, every department must have body cameras, but every officer isn’t required to wear one.

California, Nevada, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C., have since passed laws that require at least some police officers wear body cameras, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some provide money to purchase them, while others leave the agencies to foot the bill. At least 34 states have considered legislation this year.

That number could balloon with national attention on Cincinnati and the role that body camera video played there.

“I think it’s safe to say that this case is going to help the cause of body cameras across the country,” Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said. “I think we all hoped that the charges that would come out of the grand jury would match the video. We wanted the right thing to be done.”

The day after Tensing’s indictment, the American Bar Association announced it would look into police use of body cameras. On Thursday, a review of the New York Police Department’s body camera pilot program was released. It showed officers should record more interactions with people and be better trained on the devices, according to the report.

Boyce, who was already working on a bill to require body cameras before the shooting, said there is even more focus on the benefits of body cameras now.

“It underscores that it’s a tool that can be utilized to help get to the facts,” Boyce said.

jbalmert@gannett.com

Twitter: @jbalmert