Girard police Chief John Norman looks at body camera footage from one of his police officers on Wednesday. Girard has had the devices for its 24 officers since February 2019. The city paid $12,000 for the cameras and data storage.

WARREN — The Warren Police Department will be purchasing four body cameras that will be worn by officers patrolling city streets.

Other Valley departments, such as Girard, Niles and the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department, also are using cameras worn by their officers.

The idea of these cameras is endorsed by Valley community activists, including pastors, civil rights leaders, mayors and law enforcement.

The Warren cameras are expected to be assigned to police cars, so they will be spread among multiple officers on any given day.

Councilwomen Helen Rucker, D-at Large, and Cheryl Saffold, D-6th Ward, have long advocated for the city to purchase the cameras. Earlier this year, both police Chief Eric Merkel and Mayor Doug Franklin spoke in favor of purchasing the cameras.

Council last month approved spending $52,607 to purchase body cameras, associate equipment and warranties from a company named WatchGuard.

WatchGuard’s Peter Klaus told council members in February that approximately 400 communities in Ohio and Kentucky use its camera system. At that time, its largest Ohio contract was with the Columbus Police Department. WatchGuard also represents police departments, such as Solon, Delaware, Dublin and Grove City, which has a police department similar in size to Warren’s 67 officers.

NEXT STEP COALITION

The Rev. Kenneth Simon of New Bethel Baptist Church in Youngstown, said Warren’s decision to purchase body cameras for its officers is something that needed to be done.

Also the chairman of the grassroot organization Next Step Coalition, Simon said the group has been meeting with leaders of police departments in Trumbull and Mahoning counties to address concerns held by police and members of the public. Next Step Coalition was formed shortly after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers last May.

An estimated 15 law enforcement agencies participated in the coalition’s first three meetings.

“We are looking for policy changes to improve relations,” Simon said. “Saying they can’t get the technology because body cameras are just too expensive is not good enough.”

“Other communities are finding ways,” he said. “There are grants out there.”

GIRARD’S CAMERAS

Girard Mayor James Melfi said the city’s department has had cameras for its 24 officers since February 2019. Girard paid $12,000 for 24 cameras and data storage.

“It has been well worth the investment,” Melfi said. “In light of problems that occurred this year, the public will know what exactly happened.”

Girard officer Josh Merrill said having the cameras available has been good for purposes of evidence.

“There is no more ‘He said, she said,'” Merrill said. “The images from the cameras show exactly what happened.”

Officer Steve Lewis said he tells people that he has a body camera on and is recording the event.

“There are times when it will de-escalate a situation,” Lewis said. “Some people will act differently when they know they are being recorded.”

Melfi described an incident that occurred just last week in which an officer responded to a call involving a person with some mental and emotional concerns.

“The man pushed off from our police car, causing the officer to slip and break his ankle,” Melfi said. “The camera’s image confirmed what was in the police report.”

RIGHT DIRECTION

Todd Johnson, a pastor at Second Baptist Church in Warren, said the city purchasing even a few body cameras for officers is a step in the right direction.

“It will provide accountability for the police officers,” Johnson said. “The cameras will allow officers to resolve complaints that may be filed against them.”

Warren Trumbull NAACP President Annette McCoy said the community has been requesting the department to invest in body cameras for about 10 years.

“It is good that the city is listening to the community and moving in the right direction by beginning to purchase the cameras,” McCoy said. “It has been a priority to the community.”

Rucker said Warren council would like to review police policies and procedures regarding the use of cameras by officers.

“There should be a meeting with council and the mayor’s committee on policing to outline the policies,” she said.

“During the time the department worked with the Department of Justice, I believe the city developed a policy for the use of body cameras, but since that time the state has developed its own policies,” Rucker continued. “A meeting outlining its policies will make sure we’re on the same page when residents have questions about their use.”

Rucker has been fighting for the city to purchase body cameras for officer for nearly six years and expects to continue pushing for the city to purchase more body cameras going forward.

SYNC TO VEHICLES

Councilman Ronald White, D-7th Ward, also an advocate for Warren purchasing these cameras, said he would like to have the city purchase more of them, but understands they will be purchased as the city buys new cars.

They body cameras are being synchronized with dash cam cameras in the vehicles, White said.

“We received four cars in September, and these cameras are being purchased for them,” he said. “We have four more cars on order, so we will get cameras to go with those vehicles.”

White said the body cameras will automatically begin filming when the officers leave their vehicles.

“We would have more cameras and cars if had not been for the coronavirus slowing the delivery,” he said.

Alford Novak, D-2nd Ward, city council’s police committee chairman, said the administration does not want to buy more body cameras right now and have them sitting on a shelf, while the city waits to purchase new vehicles.

“As I understand it the money is available to purchase new cars sometime in 2021 when the vehicles become available,” Novak said. “That will not happen until sometime in the middle of the year.”