Amherst will start outfitting police with body cameras

AMHERST — A $98,190 state grant will help Amherst, one of Lorain County's last holdouts on using police body cameras, equip its officers. The award is part of nearly $4.9 million set aside by the Ohio Department of Public Safety to help law enforcement across the state buy and upgrade video recording devices typically worn on officers' chests. "Officers have come to me and they're wanting these cameras. Especially younger officers, they see the need for them," said Amherst Police Chief Mark Cawthon. Cameras can capture exactly what happens during a foot chase, or when police open fire on a suspect, he said. Wellington police have been using body cameras since 2014. This July, they were instrumental in showing what happened when Officer Kayla Chrosniak shot upset resident Scott Bakker, who ran at police with a knife in hand. Cawthon said he talked with Wellington Police Chief Tim Barfield afterward, and also with Chief James McCann of Lorain, where officers shot and killed 49-year-old Christopher Boggess in October. Cameras hold officers accountable for their actions, and can also clear them after unwarranted accusations, Cawthon said. "We want to make sure that we're protecting everyone. That means our officers, our citizens and we're documenting events we deal with," he said. Amherst Mayor Mark Costilow called the grant "a real nice Christmas present." Purchasing body cameras has been on his mind for three years, due to unrest around the country due to the deaths of suspects at the hands of police. Having police use the technology will "help the public know they are protected," Costilow said. When he was named chief in late 2021, Cawthon said purchasing body cameras was a priority. His predecessor, Chief Joseph Kucirek, had reservations. When Oberlin and Wellington became the first police forces in Lorain County to require the cameras, Kucirek was hesitant. His concern at the time was privacy — video footage collected by police is a public record under Ohio law, and Kucirek said that opened residents' private homes to an invasion of privacy. Cawthon said he has the same sentiments but feels the benefits outweigh the concern. Just like written police reports, camera footage can be redacted to protect privacy, he said. Faces of uncharged suspects can be blurred, for example. The major sticking point in the past year has been price. Amherst police applied for $168,000 in funding to cover not only cameras but also the cost of digital storage and vest mounts, docking stations. The grant covers more than those costs, but Costilow said he's not sure where the rest will come from. Amherst employees were given massive pay raises this year to offset the effects of inflation — most received increases of 8.25 percent in 2023, and 3.5 percent in both 2024 and 2025 under new contracts approved by City Council. Costilow said his first obligation in the 2023 budget is to make sure there is sufficient general fund revenue to cover that larger payroll. Additional purchases — such as body cameras — may hinge on what unspent money the city carries over from 2022. The state grant should be used to purchase as much body camera-related equipment as possible in the coming year, Costilow said. Some police officers may have to share until there are enough for everyone. Ohio law enforcement agencies have used cruiser-mounted video cameras for many years, and is increasingly moving to embrace body cameras. The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services said that interest was clear this fall — it received $11.4 million worth of grant requests for this round of funding. The Amherst Police Department is one of 44 Ohio agencies that will get body cameras for the first time. Sixty-eight others will use grant funds to expand or upgrade existing technology. In Lorain County, Grafton police will get $11,961; Sheffield police will get $20,131 and Lorain County Metro Parks rangers will get $8,341. Each of those agencies already use body cameras to some extent, according to Gov. Mike DeWine's office. Police in Avon, Avon Lake, LaGrange, Lorain, North Ridgeville, Oberlin, Sheffield Lake, South Amherst, Vermilion and Wellington already use body cameras. The Lorain County Sheriff's Office does too, and Elyria has a limited number and is in the process of rolling out more. Kipton police do not have body cameras. "Body cameras are an essential tool for policing, and the funds we're awarding today will help agencies purchase around 1,660 new body cameras and associated technology," DeWine said said in a news release. "Body cameras are important not only for providing transparency to the public but also for adding an extra layer of protection for our officers." Jason Hawk can be reached at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.