Ohio governor signs bill allowing police to charge for release of body cam video
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill into law late Thursday, Jan. 2, allowing law enforcement to charge the public for video footage. However, press advocates say the new charges could deter people from requesting public records.
A new 450-page omnibus bill passed this week includes a provision enabling police departments to charge citizens for dashboard cameras, body cameras and jail surveillance video –– all public records.
The provision was added privately to the legislation without a hearing.
DeWine said the fees would go toward processing the video. Under the new law, governments can charge up to $75 per hour, with a cap of $750 per request.
Some journalists have expressed concerns over the law’s potential impact on transparency.
Reason Magazine spoke to Gunita Singh from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. She told the publication that the fees could deter people from requesting public records.
“The public and the press rely on Ohio’s access provisions to timely receive important government documents, including those of police departments,” Singh said. “Nothing –– especially costly, unnecessary fees –– should stand in the way of fostering the transparency and accountability that our public records laws are designed to facilitate.”
In a news release, DeWine addressed the concerns. He said, in part, “I strongly support the public’s, and the news media’s, right to access public records. The language in House Bill 315 doesn’t change that right.”
DeWine called the body and dashboard cameras a “major improvement for both law enforcement investigations and for accountability.”
However, he said that the “changing technology” creates “unfunded burdens” on law enforcement agencies, “especially when it comes to the often time-consuming and labor-intensive work it takes to provide them as public records.”
According to DeWine, agencies have to either keep their officers on the streets or assign them to the administrative tasks required for processing video records, which doesn’t come with compensation.
DeWine also said he doesn’t want his agencies having to make that choice. He added, “especially so when the requestor of the video is a private company seeking to make money off of these videos.”
DeWine said if the provision leads to unforeseen consequences, he would work with the General Assembly to amend the language.
Walmart employees to wear body cameras to create ‘safer environment’
Walmart is testing out employees wearing body cameras to create a safer environment. The pilot program is happening in the area of Denton, Texas, with the potential to be added to more locations.
While Walmart isn’t commenting on the specific reasons for starting the body camera initiative, it comes at the height of the holiday shopping season when interactions with customers tend to be more stressful.
President Stuart Appelbaum of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union thinks employees need training on de-escalation and not just body cameras.
“There’s too much harassment that goes on through the year, but especially during the holiday season… It’s even worse,” Appelbaum told CNBC. “Everyone is stressed out.”
In a company document titled “Providing Great Customer Service While Creating a Safer Environment,” staff are instructed on how to use the body camera devices. They are told to record an event if an interaction with a customer is escalating. After the incident happens, staff are supposed to discuss it with another team member who can help them log the event.
The National Retail Federation revealed in a 2023 study what it calls “unprecedented levels” of retail crime, violence and theft. According to the data, 88% of stores reported shoplifters were more aggressive compared to the previous year.
A former retail employee who spoke to CNBC said they’re doubtful body cameras would actually work to minimize aggressive behavior, adding they don’t think the customer would care in the moment, even with the camera facing them.
Last year some stores, including T.J. Maxx, started using body cameras to try and prevent theft. The company’s finance chief said the devices have been effective in reducing lost inventory.
Police share bodycam video of VA woman shot after attacking cop with knife
Newly released bodycam footage revealed the moment an officer shot and killed a woman during a welfare check in Reston, Virginia, in September. The Fairfax County Police Department identified the woman as 33-year-old Sydney Wilson.
The footage, released by the department on Monday, Oct. 14, captured the confrontation that took place on Sept. 16.
Officer Peter Liu, a 14-year veteran of the department, who is trained in crisis intervention, had responded to a welfare check requested by a mental health professional.
According to Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, the encounter escalated into what he described as an unprovoked and violent knife attack. The video shows Liu arriving at the apartment complex and knocking on the door.
After several attempts, Wilson eventually opened the door but slammed it shut in his face. A few minutes later, Wilson reopened the door, this time holding a knife.
She slashed officer Liu across the face. Despite repeated commands from the officer for Wilson to back away, she continued to advance, trapping him in a narrow hallway. Liu then fired his weapon, striking Wilson three times. She was pronounced dead later at the hospital.
Officer Liu sustained slash wounds to his face and was treated at a hospital for his injuries.
Chief Davis defended Liu’s actions, explaining that the officer followed his training by attempting to maintain distance and seek cover. However, David emphasized that Liu was left with no other options. The chief also noted that a mental health co-responder, who typically assists in such situations, was unavailable at the time due to being on another call.
David states that even if help had been present, the situation could still have posed a significant risk to all involved.
As the investigation continued, Liu was placed on restrictive duty and reassigned to another department.
Oracle’s Larry Ellison sees AI supervision keeping citizens on ‘best behavior’
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison recently predicted that AI-powered surveillance will become an integral part of daily life. During a Q&A session at Oracle’s Financial Analyst Meeting, Ellison said AI would play a major role in monitoring society through a vast network of interconnected cameras. This system would include security cameras, police body cams and vehicle dashcams.
“Citizens will be on their best behavior, because we’re constantly recording and reporting everything that’s going on,” Ellison said, envisioning a future where AI analyzes real-time data from this network to prevent crime and influence public behavior for a safer society.
Ellison’s proposal, however, raises privacy concerns. Critics argue that widespread surveillance could infringe on personal freedoms, creating a “surveillance state.” Proponents, on the other hand, suggest that such systems could help solve crimes faster and provide transparency in law enforcement, particularly in cases of excessive force.
“We’re going to have supervision. Every police officer’s going to be supervised at all times,” Ellison said, emphasizing AI’s potential to oversee law enforcement activities.
Ellison’s vision highlights a growing trend among tech companies to use AI for societal influence, which could reshape public life in the coming years.
Police release bodycam video of Tyreek Hill being handcuffed
Newly released police body camera footage shows what unfolded when Miami-Dade County officers pulled over Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The NFL star found himself in handcuffs a block away from Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 8, just hours before his game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In the bodycam video, Hill doesn’t comply with the officer’s orders to lower his window and that’s when things begin to escalate. Hill is seen dragged out of his car and forced face down onto the ground along the roadway in the video. The footage also reveals Hill was originally stopped for speeding.
It takes approximately one minute from when the officer leaves his motorcycle to when Hill is pulled out of his car.
“If I wasn’t Tyreek Hill, Lord knows, I probably would have been, like, worst-case scenario, I would have been shot or would have been locked up” and “put behind bars, you know, for a simple speeding ticket,” Hill told NBC News.
His teammates, tight end Jonnu Smith and defensive lineman Calais Campbell, were among those who arrived on the scene. Campbell was briefly detained in handcuffs, as well.
The Dolphins released a statement on the incident- on Monday night, Sept. 10.
“We are saddened by the overly aggressive and violent conduct directed towards Tyreek Hill, Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith by police officers before yesterday’s game. It is both maddening and heartbreaking to watch the very people we trust to protect our community use such unnecessary force and hostility towards these players, yet it is also a reminder that not every situation like this ends in peace, as we are grateful this one did. ‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’ is a question that will carry with resounding impact.
“We are proud to have a strong and positive relationship with the Miami-Dade Police Department and other law enforcement agencies and recognize that the vast majority of officers do serve the community with the utmost character and desire to protect all citizens. However, as is on full display in the videos released tonight, there are some officers who mistake their responsibility and commitment to serve with misguided power. While we commend MDPD for taking the right and necessary action to quickly release this footage, we also urge them to take equally swift and strong action against the officers who engaged in such despicable behavior.
“We will stand beside Tyreek and our players as they work to use their platform and this situation to make a positive impact in our community. We have always believed that the game of football holds a unique power to bring people together, and we remain hopeful that through the collective work of the players, organization and our community partners, we can create lasting change.”
The South Florida Police Benevolent Association released a statement Monday before the bodycam video was released.
Steadman Stahl, the president of the association, said Hill “was briefly detained for officer safety, after driving in a manner in which he was putting himself and others in great risk of danger.
“Upon being stopped, Mr. Hill was not immediately cooperative with the officers on the scene who, pursuant to policy and for their immediate safety, placed Mr. Hill in handcuffs. Mr. Hill, still uncooperative, refused to sit on the ground and was therefore redirected to the ground.”
Trump agrees to ABC News debate with Harris, proposes 2 more
The debate is on. Former President Donald Trump has agreed to the ABC News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris and proposed two more. And bodycam footage has been released showing the police response to the assassination attempt during the former president’s rally in July. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.
Trump agrees to ABC News debate with Harris, proposes 2 more debates
Former President Donald Trump has recommitted to a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris after initially requesting a change of time and place given the change at the top of the Democratic ticket. Trump made the announcement during a news conference held at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Thursday, Aug. 8.
ABC News has confirmed Trump and Harris have agreed to debate on Sept. 10, setting up what is likely to be a high-stakes showdown in an already contentious election season.
His decision to debate on ABC marks a notable change of heart given it was just five days ago he announced the agreement with ABC was terminated. Trump originally suggested he would only debate if Harris appeared on Fox News on Sept. 4.
Trump is requesting Harris accept two additional debate proposals; one would be held on Fox and the other on NBC.
When asked by reporters if he will still do the ABC debate even if Harris turns down the idea of multiple debates, Trump said he didn’t know how that’s going to work and reiterated the need for multiple debates with a new Democratic presidential nominee.
As we saw in June, presidential debates have high stakes. President Joe Biden’s performance at his debate with Trump set in motion calls for his withdrawal and the eventual end to his re-election campaign.
The ABC debate was originally slated to be the second and final debate between Biden and Trump.
Harris released a statement saying she’s glad Trump committed to meeting her on stage.
Harris will be in Arizona for a campaign rally on Friday, Aug. 9. Trump will be in Montana for a rally of his own and fundraiser event.
Bodycam video released of police response to Trump assassination attempt
It’s been nearly a month since the assassination attempt on former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Within that month, questions have been swirling leading to multiple investigations and hearings on Capitol Hill and a change in leadership at the Secret Service.
Now, there is new information directly through the lens of Butler police bodycam. It shows officers responding to the reports of a threat on top of the unsecured building where the shooter propped himself up to take aim.
In newly released body camera video, there is footage of the moments leading up to the shooting, but it’s the audio in the immediate aftermath of the shooting that is providing further confirmation of a major security lapse.
The incident left one rally goer dead and Trump shot in the ear in a near-fatal hit.
The public search for accountability has led to agencies across local, state, and federal levels to finger-point and shift the blame. There are still several ongoing investigations into how it happened in the first place and how to prevent it from happening again.
U.S., Egypt, Qatar call for renewed Israel-Hamas ceasefire discussions
The U.S., Egypt and Qatar are calling for Israel and Hamas to resume cease-fire talks, calling them “urgent.” Fears are growing over a widening Middle East war following high-profile assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been mediating cease-fire discussions since they began.
They want the talks to take place in either Doha or Cairo next Thursday, Aug. 15.
Early Friday, Aug. 9, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Israel will take part in those discussions. Hamas’ newly chosen leader has not indicated if the terror group is willing to join.
Columbia University COO’s home vandalized with antisemitic imagery; 3 top admins resign over antisemitic texts
Inverted triangles, which have been used by Hamas to identify Israeli targets and Nazis to tag prisoners during the Holocaust, were painted on the entranceway to Cas Holloway’s apartment building.
Columbia confirmed the resignations of the school’s dean of undergraduate student life, associate dean for student and family support, and vice dean and chief administrative officer after it came to light they exchanged antisemitic messages during an on-campus event about Jewish life at the school.
Paramount laying off 15% of U.S. workforce
Media conglomerate Paramount is laying off 15% of its U.S. workforce. The layoffs, which will impact around 2,000 staffers, are part of Paramount’s bid to cut $500 million in annual costs ahead of its merger with SkyDance Media.
Paramount says it also plans to write down $6 billion worth of its cable television networks.
Steph Curry leads Team USA to rally past Serbia; Noah Lyles wins bronze in 200-meter after testing positive for COVID
The U.S added to its Olympic medal count on Thursday, Aug. 9. Team USA now has a total of 103 medals so far as the Paris games wind down.
The men’s basketball team will be hoping to bring home gold against host France in the final. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and LeBron James led the team to a come-from-behind victory over Serbia on Thursday after being down 17 points, winning 95 to 91.
On the track, it was not the result American sprinter Noah Lyles was hoping for in the men’s 200-meter final. Lyles, who won his first Olympic gold on Sunday, Aug. 4, in the 100-meter, finished third this time behind Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and USA teammate Kenny Bednarek.
Lyles was taken away in a wheelchair after crossing the finish line. It was later revealed he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 two days earlier.
The USA track and field organization said it followed all Olympic protocols to allow Lyles to compete.
The track star said he is proud of himself to have been able to still win a bronze medal. He posted on Instagram, “It is not the Olympics I dreamed of, but it has left me with so much joy in my heart.”
Woman says officer held her face in fire ant bed during arrest, police refute claim
A Houston-area woman said police held her down in a fire ant pile during an arrest in 2021. The woman, Taylor Rogers, is now suing the city and officers involved in the arrest.
Santa Fe ISD Police — who initiated the arrest in a school parking lot — have refuted the woman’s claims, saying there were no ants. Rogers claims her civil rights were violated and said she suffers from mental illness in the lawsuit.
The altercation took place in August 2021 after Rogers allegedly tried to make an illegal turn into an elementary school parking lot and drove the wrong way down the road. When school and city police tried to pull her over, Rogers fled — something she pleaded guilty to.
Rogers was eventually stopped by authorities.
Rogers’ attorney, Randall Kallinen, released a clip of body cam footage of the arrest, showing Rogers screaming for help.
“Ants are on my face, ants are getting on my face,” Rogers said in the video.
According to the lawsuit, an officer “twisted [Rogers’] leg with excessive force, hog tied her and buried her face in a pile of fire ants leaving the plaintiff’s face and body in excruciating pain.”
The Santa Fe ISD Police Chief Ruben Espinoza told KHOU in Houston that the snippet the attorney provided is misleading.
“They stop the clip they provided to you when the officer says calm down and we will lift you up,” Espinoza said.
In 2016, a U.S. Department of Justice investigation revealed the Baltimore Police Department likely made thousands of unconstitutional arrests from 2010 to 2015, often under the guise of “officer safety.” This led to a federal consent decree mandating court-ordered changes to policies, training, oversight and accountability.
Baltimore police leaders hope to prove that police reform and crime reduction are not mutually exclusive.
This is showing not just here in Baltimore, but across these United States of America. You can reduce crime and violence in a city, but you don’t have to overly criminalize the community and you can police in the right way, a constitutional way.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott
“This is showing not just here in Baltimore, but across these United States of America,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told CNN. “You can reduce crime and violence in a city, but you don’t have to overly criminalize the community and you can police in the right way, a constitutional way.”
Data shows crime in Baltimore trending downward, with violent crime and property crime decreasing and homicide rates down by 17%. The latest oversight assessment indicated a significant reduction in civil liberties being violated in 2022 and showed improvements since revising policies and training.
With the rise of bodycams and cell phones, police are under increased pressure to remain calm in potentially triggering situations. Officers are now trained to regulate emotions by understanding the connections between thoughts, feelings and actions.
This training acknowledges that police experience repeated trauma, leading to hypervigilant behavior, and aims to improve self-regulation and gain public trust.
Scott has emphasized the importance of community policing and investments in recreation and parks to address challenges and offer opportunities for positive change.
“We also have to constantly be doing more community policing, being out in the community, investing on the front end,” Scott added. “This is why we’re putting historic levels of investment into recreation and parks and programming for our young people, so that we’re doing the both ends — that we’re offering opportunities for people to change their life through our group force reduction strategy.”
As reform continues under the consent decree, challenges persist for Baltimore’s police department and its citizens. Homicide rates remain among the nation’s highest despite a downward trend, while gun violence against children and teens has risen in 2023.