Chief Ticaon tells us there will be 13 body cams and 13 tasers, one for each officer as well as 11 in-car cameras, one for each police cruiser.
Ohio Council has approved funding for body worn cameras, as well as some other new equipment for the Ohio Police Department on Monday.
Ohio Police Chief, bran tells us that the department approached council about purchasing body cams, tasers and in-car cameras. Chief Ticaon says council approved the purchase of all three.
Chief Ticaon tells us there will be 14 body cams and 14 tasers, one for each officer as well as 11 in-car cameras, one for each police cruiser.
The combined costs of the body cameras and tasers will be $182,290 paid for over the course of five years, which is roughly $36,000 a year. Chief Ticaon says the department should receive the body cams and tasers by November or December of 2023.
Meanwhile, the cost for the in-car cameras is $112,208 over a five year period, which is around $25,441.60 per year. Chief Ticaon says payment won’t start for the in-car cameras until they’re installed, which should be in about nine to 11 months.
Chief Ticaon tells us that all the funding for the equipment is coming out of the general fund at this time.
The department missed the opportunity to apply for grants for the body cameras this year, but Chief Ticaon says he hopes to have another opportunity to do so next year. If so, the payment for the body cams will shift over to the grant funds should the village receive any.
Chief Ticaon says the body cameras will provide more transparency for the village so the public can see exactly what happened during a police encounter, and that the cameras could also assist in court cases when video is used as evidence.
When it came to the selection of companies for body cameras, Chief Ticaon tells 21 News the department explored numerous companies, but narrowed the final decision down to Axon or Motorola, as those are the top two brands in the Valley for body cameras.
Chief Ticaon tells us the department ultimately decided on Axon due to their customer service.
