Public Safety Chair Klein Supports Body Camera Proposal
Columbus
City Council Safety Committee chair Zach Klein today stated his strong support
of Council President Ginther’s proposal to implement a body camera program for
Columbus police by the end of 2016.
“Police body cameras must be
a priority,” said Councilmember Klein. “They are a very important tool in
improving policing and ensuring accountability for both residents and law
enforcement.”
Klein
recognizes that many details of the body camera program will be determined by
the Mayor's committee asked to study and make recommendations on the issue. He
also indicated that some necessary changes, like fixing public records laws,
are out of the city's control and must be done by the Ohio General Assembly.
"Now
is the time to start addressing city policies, procedures, and training as it
relates to body cameras,” said Klein. “That way, hopefully Columbus' body
camera program will be ready to go live the moment the necessary privacy laws
are changed at the state level. We shouldn't be building our program from
scratch once the State of Ohio acts. Instead, we need to use this time to be
proactive."
“I
applaud the decision by President Ginther to begin the use of body cameras on
Columbus police officers,” said Bishop Timothy Clark, Senior Pastor of the
First Church of God in Columbus. “This will help ensure the safety of our
citizens and our officers, which is our utmost concern.”
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