Former Youngstown police Chief Robin Lees repeatedly said he was an advocate of police body cameras, but despite calls from several Youngstown City Council members, along with the public and even this newspaper to institute camera use in the Youngstown Police Department, no plan ever came to fruition.

Until now.

We are pleased to hear, after just about six days on the job, new Youngstown police Chief Carl Davis discuss his plans for instituting a police body camera program.

Davis, last week, told members of Youngstown City Council’s safety committee he already has moved Detective Sgt. Jose Morales Jr. from the detective bureau to internal affairs, where he will handle implementation of a body camera program. While Davis did not give a time frame for implementation, he said he is hoping for three to four months.

We are hopeful that time frame is realistic.

In the name of transparency and oversight, we consistently have supported and promoted the use of body cameras for all area departments.

Morales said body cameras “enhance accountability, not only for our officers, but also accountability for members of the community that we serve every day.”

Said Morales, “It’s no secret that when cameras are on, both sides tend to behave better, which I think will reduce the number of citizen complaints and use-of-force reports.”

As chief, Lees had expressed concern about the costs involved with implementing such a program. High expenses especially are associated with legacy costs that include things like storage fees; staffing to ensure archived videos remain accessible or editing them for release according to Ohio Sunshine laws; and any other related recurring software licensing fees. We realize these are never-ending costs that must not be taken lightly.

However, when considering the important value that body cameras offer in investigating incidents, it easily can be argued these costs are justifiable.

Last week, Morales noted he already intends to apply for grants to help defray the cost. The goal of a body camera for each of its 150 officers is lofty, indeed, and we wonder if a projected cost of $50,000 to $100,000 is realistic.

But at the end of the day, we believe city council and the new police chief are on the right path, particularly in their agreement on the urgent need for the cameras.

It’s no secret that we are in an era where virtually anything can be caught on camera at any time. All police officers, as well as the public, must accept that.

And with that in mind, we hope officers will embrace the use of the cameras, treating them not with disdain or fear, but with eagerness to create more transparency for the public.

Video captured in other police-involved shootings, use of force and aggression displayed against officers has played pivotal roles in criminal and administrative investigations, as well as training scenarios. They should be welcomed as an effective tool to expose areas of concern in police work.

We urge the pursuit of grant funds and we urge city council to begin crunching numbers and looking for ways to ensure the necessary local funding is set aside.

editorial@tribtoday.com