In November 2021, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Governor Mike DeWine announced a $15 million investment to give troopers body-worn cameras and upgraded their in-car camera system. This week, installers from Axon were working on putting the system in the cruisers for the Findlay District, which makes up the northwest part of the state from Lucas down to Allen County.
“This component adds another layer of transparency that the public will get to see. It will provide that viewpoint from the trooper's perspective to what is happening,” says Sgt. Ryan Purpura, Northwest/Southwest Region Public Information Officer. “It might be at a critical incident, it might be an OVI investigation, it could be a crash investigation. Just everyday interaction with the public.”
By the end of this month, 124 camera systems will be installed in patrol cruisers in the Findlay District. The 3-camera system will have all angles covered from when the lights go on to when an arrest has been made.
“So, the way that it’s going to work is when a trooper activates their overhead emergency lights, the dashcam will kick on. It will also record the previous 90 seconds with no audio. But the second it kicks on there is audio. So when the trooper stops the vehicle and opens their car door the body cam will kick on. It also goes back 90 seconds no audio, and from that point forward there is audio. The back seat camera will not turn on until you open the back door and put someone in the backseat and that camera will kick on and record,” explains Purpura.
Ohio State Highway personnel from the rank of trooper to staff lieutenant will be issued body cameras.
“Since 2018, troopers have made 3 million traffic stops,” add Purpura. “So that kind of highlights and illustrates the interaction we have with the motoring public on a daily basis. And so this body cam will be another level of transparency, our commitment to the community, so it's really going to be a great tool in our operational toolbox.”
All the Highway Patrol troopers and cruisers in the state should be up and running with their new camera systems in May.
