MANSFIELD — Capt. Jim Sweat said a $283,366 upgrade to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office body-worn camera program is the latest example of the department embracing new technology.
The effort, half of which is being funded by a state grant, will provide 50 new body cameras for the department through a new contract with Axon , as well as upgrades to the digital processing, storage and distribution capabilities.
He said the current body-worn cameras have reached “end of life” and will be phased out.
It comes on the heels of recent large capital upgrades to the department, including a firearms simulator training for deputies, a new communications tower in Lucas, an upgrade in public safety technology for law enforcement and emergency response services and a new 9-1-1 dispatch center.
Sweat credits Sheriff Steve Sheldon for the new technology projects, as well as funding through the county commissioners’ office.
“It’s a snapshot of the sheriff’s desire to keep this department moving forward into the digital age,” Sweat said. “His goal is for us to always be at the forefront.
“All of these projects lump together to show how aggressive (Sheldon) is to stay up-to-date with technology.”
A week ago, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the state will award nearly $4.8 million in grant funding to help local law enforcement agencies across Ohio cover costs associated with body-worn camera programs.
A total of 108 law enforcement agencies will receive funding as part of the third round of the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program.
Of those agencies, 32 will use funding to create new body-worn camera programs and 76 agencies will dedicate funding toward expanding or upgrading existing technology, which is the case for the RCSO, which began its program nearly a decade ago.
“Body-worn cameras are important for both the protection of our law enforcement officers and members of the public,” DeWine said in an emailed statement.
“My administration is proud to support our police departments and sheriff’s offices will the cost of this equipment so that agencies big and small can outfit their peace officers with cameras,” the governor said.
DeWine created the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program in 2021. In total, more than 300 law enforcement agencies have received funding as part of the program, including over 200 law enforcement agencies that received nearly $10 million in grants in the 2022-2023 biennium.
The Ohio General Assembly allotted an additional $10 million to the program as part of the current 2024-2025 biennium, $5 million of which will be awarded next year.
Ohio’s Office of Criminal Justice Services, which administers the grant program, received $10.7 million worth of grant requests for this round of funding.
All qualifying agencies that applied for grants to establish new body-worn camera programs received funding, and the remaining funds went to existing programs to upgrade aging cameras, add storage capacity, or hire record-retention personnel.
In addition to helping purchase the new body cameras, Sweat said the $141,683 in state grant money will enhance storage of all digital evidence, including jail video, interview audio and more.
He said the department is adding a digital evidence technician to assist in managing all of the data.
Sweat said the new Axon system will allow the department to share evidence with the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office, defense attorneys and law directors through an internet link, without the need to continually put the material onto CDs.
“That will save us all time and money,” Sweat said.
Richland County commissioners “Back the Blue,” according to Commissioner Darrell Banks.
“All of these technology improvements should be a big help to our safety forces and first responders,” Banks said. “We want them to stay up to date with technology because we want our citizens to be the safest citizens around.”
