Ohio puts potential police abuse videos behind paywall

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altmin

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People seeking copies of police and jail videos in Ohio may have to pay up to $750, or $75 for each hour of video released, if Gov. Mike DeWine signs a measure approved by the state Legislature this week.

The fee was included in an amendment to the state’s sunshine laws that was quietly introduced and passed early Thursday by the GOP-controlled Legislature. It now heads to the desk of the Republican governor. It’s not clear when or if he’ll act on it. A news media group is urging a veto.

First Amendment and government transparency advocates said they were blindsided by the measure, which would give state and local law enforcement agencies the option to charge people for making copies of records that most departments now provide for free or little cost.
 
I get there being a fee of some sort for the time involved and maybe hardware, but charging per hour makes no sense. If you're copying a video file, it's no more difficult to do 10 seconds or 10 hours.
 
I get there being a fee of some sort for the time involved and maybe hardware, but charging per hour makes no sense. If you're copying a video file, it's no more difficult to do 10 seconds or 10 hours.
I don't. They're responsible for public safety. Part of that is ensuring that the huge amount of money given LEOs is well spent which includes not covering up wrong doing by the LEOs.
 
If this fee also applied to officers/departments/police unions who release fragments of video when they think it will make them look like they did nothing wrong, I’d be okay with it.
 
If the laundry is dirty enough, and juicy enough, any media outlet will gladly pay the $750 and get “an exclusive look at the behind the scenes details”
 
I don't. They're responsible for public safety. Part of that is ensuring that the huge amount of money given LEOs is well spent which includes not covering up wrong doing by the LEOs.
I had a similar thought, but there are other things that the state charges for that you could say are for the public safety, i.e. drivers licenses.

I think I probably lean more toward your side after considering what's actually at stake.
 
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