COLUMBUS, Ohio — Editor's Note: The breakdown of money being provided to law enforcement agencies featured in this story has been updated. The original numbers provided by Gov. Mike DeWine's office were incorrect. His office provided new numbers Monday evening and those were adjusted in the copy below.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is one of nearly 50 law enforcement agencies in Ohio that will use newly allocated funding to equip its deputies with body-worn cameras.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday more than $4.7 million in grant funding will go to 109 law enforcement agencies across the state for body camera initiatives.
"Body cameras have quickly become a necessary tool for modern policing," said DeWine. "With these grants, more than four dozen law enforcement agencies that have never had body cameras before will be able to invest in this technology to help protect their officers and offer transparency to the public."
Of those agencies, 49 will use the funding to create body-worn camera programs. That includes the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, which is slated to receive $232,200 in funding.
In Franklin County, police in Upper Arlington, Obetz, Hilliard, Whitehall, Grove City and Blendon Township will also be receiving money from the grants.
“I think we've seen across the country, even here in Central Ohio, the value of having a body-worn camera. It not only tells the story of what officers are doing on a daily basis, but it gives the public an opportunity to see how we are doing it,” said Hilliard Deputy Chief Mike Woods.
Hilliard's new cameras will be synced up with their dash cameras. All officers are expected to be equipped with them by the middle of the summer.
“Those two will work seamlessly together and provide audio and they can be looked at on a split-screen so you will see both the body-worn camera footage and the cruiser video at the same time,” Woods explained.
Woods says the grant may be able to help them speed up their timeline, and give residents accountability from the department.
“They can look at what we do, and how we do it. It provides great transparency. I think that helps reassure the public that what were doing and saying is the right way,” Woods said.
Prioritized in the state’s 2022-23 operating budget, the Body-Worn Camera Grant Program totals $10 million over the course of two years.
Franklin County list of law enforcement agencies to receive funding:
- Blendon Township Police Department $19,224.00
- Franklin County Sheriff's Office $232,200.00
- Whitehall Division of Police $46,675.00
- *Village of Obetz $75,959.36
- *Hilliard Division of Police $58,830.00
- *Grove City Police Department $58,976.28
- *Upper Arlington Police Division $62,355.00
To view the full list, click here.