OREGON, Ohio — All Ohio Department of Natural Resource officers will be equipped with body cameras within the next two days. This comes after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered the department to begin implementing the use of body cameras last year.
"It allows us to document everything," said Eric Reed, a captain with the ODNR. "It allows the officer to go back and review and see what happened during {an} event or anything else they come across."
The department asked for a $3.5 million approval under the federal CARES Act to purchase the new cameras. The rollout is a part of DeWine's initiative to have all law enforcement officers in the state equipped with body cameras.
There are about 300 officers within ODNR. They work primarily in state parks, monitoring safety when it comes to hunting, fishing and water way recreation. And if need be, enforcement. The camera will be another tool they can use to protect both officers and those they serve.
"We deal with a different cliental," said Reed. "People are out recreating in our state parks and in our water ways, and our water life areas across the state. So, it benefits everybody from that point of view."
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