A state legislator who represents Columbus continues to craft police body camera legislation that would apply to officers throughout the state.
Democrat Kevin Boyce says body cams are not the “end all and be all.” But he says they can be useful in helping prevent further crimes.
“You look at some of these more dramatic scenarios, if it were not for the camera, our ability to apprehend the suspect quickly and determine who and what and where they were going and what was happening quickly, was a vital resource in protecting potentially others,” Boyce says.
Body cameras also capture the interaction between police officers and others and, Boyce says, have proven valuable in lowering citizen complaints.
“What we know for sure statistically is that use-of-force complaints drop dramatically when there is body camera footage available per that complaint. And so that's just one scenario among many that allow the camera to be more of a tool,” Boyce says.
Boyce says his body camera legislation should be ready before the end of October.
Meanwhile, Columbus City Council president Andrew Ginther says he wants all of the city’s 1800 police offices outfitted with body cameras by the end of next year.