It came as somewhat of a surprise to learn Tuesday that Ohio County Sheriff's deputies do not have body cameras. Given the national scrutiny of law enforcement officials and their actions today, and as a way to protect both the deputies and those they are interacting with, body cameras in a county such as ours should be mandatory and already should be in use.
Ohio County Sheriff's Department Administrator Drage Flick told Ohio County commissioners that the department is seeking to apply for a U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant to help fund the purchase of 24 body cameras. The total cost of the cameras is $48,000, and the grant, which has to be applied for by the end of next week, would pay for half the cost.
That's a good approach, but commissioners should be proactive now and simply approve the funding for the cameras. The additional $24,000 is a small price to pay for added safety for our county.
Recall: Ohio County has brought in tens of millions of dollars in natural gas lease and royalty payments over the past decade. As of last summer, that amount specifically was more than $26 million. Surely commissioners can find $50,000 to fund body cameras for deputies without having to wait for a $24,000 grant from the government? Given the protection it will provide the deputies, the county and the public, it seems somewhat unacceptable that this already hasn't been taken care of.
We would urge commissioners to fund this request in full so that deputies and the public have video recordings of their interactions. It's the right thing to do.