Six months after Portage County Commissioners approved the acquisition of physique cameras for the Portage County Sheriff’s Workplace, the cameras are nonetheless not operational.
Extra:Portage County commissioners agree to purchase body cameras for the Sheriff’s Office
assembly with representatives Portage County NAACP, Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski He reportedly stated the cameras had been “sitting in packing containers” and, at once, blamed Portage County commissioners and the county’s info know-how division, in accordance with one particular person on the assembly.
However one commissioner stated the IT division is already engaged on the infrastructure wanted to run the cameras, and the cameras are anticipated to be operational in January. And all of the commissioners stated they had been performed after they allowed funding for the cameras.
The sheriff’s workplace didn’t reply to requests for remark or further info.
Lengthy look forward to cameras
The digital camera buy was authorised after months of public debate in regards to the know-how’s significance. Shortly after taking workplace, Zuchowski supplied further funding of $2.9 million for plant and gear upgrades. On the time, the sheriff stated physique cameras had been wanted to guard officers from false accusations and lawsuits.
However a 12 months and a half later, the cameras nonetheless hadn’t been ordered, regardless of three shootings since 2021 involving Portage County lawmakers, two of them lethal. Lawmakers had been acquitted of misconduct in all three instances, together with the one. latestIn Might, Windham resident Cora Baughman was shot useless by a lawmaker after an argument between Baughman and her neighbor.
Extra:Interviews detail long-running neighbor feud before Portage lawmaker fatally shot a woman
Commissioners and the NAACP pressured the sheriff’s workplace to get the cameras. Though the county appeared to grant sources first to offset the price, the commissioners agreed to pay the price of $400,000 to $500,000 to buy the cameras themselves.
“We have to transfer ahead with this,” stated Commissioner Sabrina Christian-Bennett on the time. “$400,000 to $500,000 looks as if rather a lot, however not if we get sued.”
NAACP raises considerations
Frank Hairston, head of communications for the Portage County NAACP, stated he and Kathy Kerns, the top of prison justice for the civil rights group, spoke just lately with Zuchowski and different members of the sheriff’s division. The group wished to debate considerations a few visitors cease in Ravenna the place a Black man was pulled over and the automobile he was driving was searched. The motive force was not arrested and the automobile was not towed.
In the course of the interview, Hairston stated she requested about physique cameras. Hairston stated the sheriff informed him the cameras had been “sitting in packing containers”, provided to indicate him the boxed know-how, and blamed the commissioners and IT for the delay.
Hairston stated he did not perceive why the cameras weren’t getting used.
“These cameras work on either side,” he stated. “We have now cameras in a field. That is not true.”
In the course of the incident in Windham, he stated he had some footage, however solely as a result of a Garrettsville police officer had a digital camera.
“They should set up cameras of their automobiles and folks,” he stated.
Commissioner response
Commissioners stated they did their half in buying the cameras in June after they approved the acquisition.
Nevertheless, Commissioner Tony Badalamenti stated he was inspecting the state of affairs and “every thing must be up and operating by the start of the 12 months”.
He defined {that a} system must be put into use in order that digital camera photographs may be saved and examined.
“It is a comparatively advanced system,” he stated.
Christian-Bennett stated he regretted that, at once, the commissioners and the county’s IT division, led by the Portage County auditor, had been held accountable.
“They selected the vendor and we agreed to finance it,” he stated. “It is as much as them to rearrange this with the contractor they select…it is not our duty and it is not the duty of our employees.”
Reporter Diane Smith may be reached at dsmith@recordpub.com.
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