Gov. DeWine Announces Statewide Rollout Of Body Cams For Troopers

Wednesday, November 24, 2021 at 11:05 AM

The $15 million plan will outfit every trooper in the state with a body cam.

Shutterstock photo.

(Columbus, Oh.) – Governor Mike DeWine is directing Ohio State High Patrol to invest in body cameras to better protect Ohio troopers.

The governor announced Tuesday a $15 million plan to outfit every trooper in Ohio with a body-worn camera.

This distribution and installation of 1,550 new body cameras and 1,221 new in-car systems began this month.

"The Patrol has been using in-car cameras for decades, but as technology continues to advance, body cameras have become an essential tool for policing," said Governor DeWine. "By investing in these cameras, we're not only giving our troopers the tools they need to better protect the public, but we're also giving the public another reason to have confidence in the professionalism of the Ohio State Highway Patrol."

Body worn cameras have become a key tool for law enforcement in recent years to accurately document arrests, critical incidents, and other interactions with the public.

The new OSHP body cameras will link to the new in-car systems to ensure that all cameras record simultaneously when lights and sirens are activated.

The new systems is expected to be fully installed in all OSHP districts by May 2022.