SEBRING, Ohio - Gov. Mike DeWine announced $4.4 million in state funding Monday to help law enforcement agencies buy or upgrade body-worn cameras.

The Sebring Police Department in Mahoning County is one of 10 agencies in the state using the money to start a new body-worn camera program. The department received a grant award of $38,619.96 for the project.

The funding is part of the fifth round of the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program. State officials said the program aims to help local police cover the costs of equipment and data storage.

While 10 departments are launching new programs, another 121 agencies are using their awards to expand or replace existing technology. DeWine created the grant initiative in 2021 to assist local police in making the technology a standard part of their daily routines.

Agencies that did not previously have cameras were given priority during the application process. Remaining funds were distributed to departments needing to upgrade older equipment or hire staff to manage video records.

Under Ohio law, these recordings are public records, though agencies may charge fees to cover the cost of preparing and redacting the video before it is released to the public.

Local Agencies with Body-Worn Camera Funding

According to state records, several other departments in the Mahoning Valley area have already received funding for body-worn camera programs:

Mahoning County

  • Poland Township Police Department 
  • Canfield Police Department 
  • Goshen Police District 
  • Youngstown Police Department 
  • Sebring Police Department 
  • Campbell Police Department 
  • Mahoning County Sheriff's Office 

Trumbull County

  • Kinsman Township Police Department 
  • Girard Police Department 

Columbiana County

  • East Palestine Police Department 
  • East Liverpool Police Department