Ohio lawmakers have exempted more government workers and family members from state public-records laws including the ex-spouses of volunteer firefighters.
Why bodycam footage is released quickly sometimes and sometimes not at all
• 12 min read
Police shooting of Andrew Brown
Elizabeth City, North Carolina, under state of emergency ahead of the possible release of body camera footage in fatal police shooting of Andrew Brown.Columbus Police Dept. via WSYX/AP
Disparate responses to law enforcement shootings of a Black man and a Black teenager within 24 hours of each other demonstrate the conflicting need for transparency and privacy and the sometimes murky policies at play behind releasing body camera footage to the public.
On the afternoon of April 20, a police officer shot 16-year-old Ma Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio. Within hours of the incident, the Columbus Division of Police publicly released footage from the officer s body camera, with more footage following.
News Watchman staff receives numerous awards in ONMA, OPSWA and APG contests newswatchman.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newswatchman.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Nieporte: Without public notices, the public will be the last to know
Nieporte
Courtesy of Ohio News Media Association
Did you ever wonder why government entities have to put a legal notice into the newspaper?
For one, it is a method of properly notifying interested parties that something is about to happen. For instance, the city advertises for asphalt bids for the parking lot behind city hall. Any interested contractor who would like the job can see the specifications of the bid and how to apply to potentially get the work.
This keeps things honest for the taxpayers in a few ways. It creates competition, and likely a lower job cost, than if the city officials just picked up the phone and called the first contractor who came to mind. It also helps resolve any real or perceived conflicts of interest. Let’s say the mayor’s brother just so happens to own an asphalt business. You can see why giving everyone a fair chance to submit a bid is even more important in that circumst