Some local police departments opt to charge for body camera video in light of new law
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Whitehall and Grove City police departments have opted to charge for body camera video in light of a recently implemented law, as multiple other central Ohio agencies consider doing the same.
In January, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 315 into law, which permits government agencies to charge the public and news media the 'estimated cost' of processing videos for public records requests before releasing them. This could include video from body cameras, dash cameras and surveillance footage from jails.
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The statute officially took effect in April, allowing departments to charge up to $75 per hour of video, with fees capped at $750 per request. Before the law went into effect, the Ohio Revised Code allowed agencies to charge for public records, but only nominal fees associated with copying the content onto items such as paper or a flash drive, not labor costs.
NBC4 reached out to central Ohio law enforcement agencies, asking if they have changed their public records request policies given the law's implementation.
Whitehall has opted to charge the full amount as allowed by the law for body camera video – $75 per hour, or $1.25 per minute, with a cap of $750. The policy states that certain requests by victims or their representatives may be exempt from fees.
'Fees are necessary to cover the costs associated with reviewing, redacting, processing, storing, and distributing public record requests,' the policy states.
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The Grove City Police Department has also chosen to charge for police video, with its policy asserting the amount charged will be based on the hourly rates of employees involved in producing the record, but costs will not exceed $75 per hour of footage or $750 overall. For records of certain 'critical incidents,' the police chief may choose to produce the video at no cost to the requester to ensure public transparency, the policy states.
The chief of the Blendon Township Police Department, John Belford, said his agency has submitted a draft of a policy to its township attorney for review. Belford said he is recommending the department charge for body camera video, as the footage often requires 'extensive review and redaction.'
'The time that is spent by our administrative staff redacting and producing copies of releasable video has a substantial impact on our staff workload and time management,' he said.
The Columbus Division of Police said it has not completed its policy and declined to share if the department plans to charge for video or not. The Hilliard Division of Police stated it is continuing to review the new law.
The Pickerington Police Department said it had not yet changed its policy but will consider charging for body camera video under the new law during its budgeting process for 2026, which will likely begin in September. Both the Gahanna and Dublin police departments said they have not made any changes to their policies at this time.
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The Delaware County Sheriff's Office stated it is still working on determining its policy. A spokesperson said the department is currently working on a 'significant backlog' of requests, and that it will not charge for those since they were received prior to the new law taking effect.
Since the statute says law enforcement agencies may adopt a change to their policy, there is no deadline for them to make a decision, Capital University law professor Susan Gilles previously told NBC4.
Multiple departments said they have become overwhelmed with video requests, specifically from people who request body camera content to post online, and that charging will help them manage their records department.
DeWine previously stated the intention of the law is to help law enforcement officials cover the administrative costs associated with editing video. Police departments often have to redact the voices or faces of uncharged suspects or victims whose identities are protected under the law.
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However, the new statute has drawn criticism and concerns about police transparency. Families with loved ones who were killed by police held a news conference shortly after the bill was signed into law. Shawna Barnett, the sister of Andre Hill, who was fatally shot by a former Columbus police officer in 2020, said that the law damages public trust.
Gilles also told NBC4 earlier this year that the legislation was not 'well thought through' and would make public records less accessible. DeWine said in a January news release that if the policy has 'unforeseen consequences,' he will work with the legislature to amend the language.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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