A Push for Greenville Officers to have Body Cams

ISSUED BY THE General Assembly of the

ECCLESIASTICAL OFFICE OF THE BISHOP

The Church of God of the Apostolic Faith

International Ministerial Association Inc.

GREENVILLE , OHIO (11-16-22) — Bishop Andy Roberts of The Church of God of the Apostolic Faith, Markwith Ave., Greenville, addressed Greenville City Council on Tuesday evening 11/15/2002 asking for council to consider purchasing body cameras for police officers.

Archbishop Lee Bowling and Bishop Roberts, from the Office of the Bishop requested body camera footage from police officers that were present under the bridge where homeless are known to congregate for an investigation they are doing. They were told that officers do not have body cameras. Archbishop Bowling said this is a failure of the past and present administration and is unacceptable to leave both its citizens and officers vulnerable.

The Office of the Bishop says it will stand by the call for the City of Greenville to be equipped with Police Body Cameras. The City of Greenville should invest in body cameras to better protect the citizens and officers of the city. The Police cars have been using in-car cameras for decades, but as technology continues to advance, body cameras have quickly become an essential tool for policing,”

“By investing in these cameras, we’re not only giving our officers the tools they need to better protect the public, but we’re also giving the public another reason to have confidence in the professionalism of the Greenville Police.

Body-worn cameras have become a key tool for law enforcement around the world and is very much needed in Greenville, Ohio. The cameras also allow for detailed documentation of crime and crash scenes, enhance the accuracy of incident reports and court testimony, and help to improve community-police relations. We as a city and church demand more transparency in policing.

When used properly, the devices can record video and audio of exactly what occurred during public interaction, from the officer’s point of view. Releasing unaltered recordings provides citizens with greater insight into the circumstances and decisions made during controversial incidents. In the past, communities relied heavily on witness accounts and waited months for agencies to release findings from internal investigations. With what is been going on lately with our homeless I am calling for police body cams that would immediately hold officers more accountable for their actions and improve community-police relations said Archbishop Lee Bowling.

Following the meeting, Safety Service Director Ryan Delk confirmed the police department does not have body cameras, but also explained at this point it is cost prohibitive. Body cameras on the market will not sync with the cameras installed on the dashboard of Greenville’s police cruisers. The city would be required to change its entire system, which could escalate the cost to over $400,000. Delk estimated the cost per officer would be approximately $20,000 and the city has 21 officers.

Bishop Roberts said, ‘If it’s important you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse. However, we are not giving up in calling for our officers to have essential tool for policing in doing their job in a more professional way, while holding boththe  public and police officers accountable.

Understanding the complexity of mitigating of the many types of injustice, and the central role community partners play in social justice work, The Church of God of the Apostolic Faith International Ministerial Association, Inc. joins voice with civic and religious leaders across the nation in pledging to work for our local communities to bring about healing, justice and reconciliation. While backing our blue and the communities they serve as a whole.