Ohio prisons to deploy more than 5,000 body cameras

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio prisons system has announced its plan to deploy more than 5,000 body cameras in all state prisons and adult parole authority offices. Annette Chambers-Smith is the director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. She said Thursday the cameras are another tool for the agency to help protect both staff members and inmates. Chambers-Smith says the state has signed a contract with Arizona-based Axon for the cameras, which include the ability to retrieve 90 seconds of video and audio after an officer first activates the camera. Ohio joins a growing number of state prison systems that are outfitting guards with the cameras.