GOSHEN TOWNSHIP — Township trustees approved the implementation of a video processing fee for the police department in its meeting Tuesday.

Goshen Township became the most recent municipality to authorize the implementation of a fee for the processing and redaction of footage from body cameras, dash cameras, and jail surveillance systems included in public records requests in accordance with privacy law requirements as permitted by Ohio House Bill 315. House Bill 315 permits departments to charge a fee of up to $750 for each request and has been cited by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine as a way to address “unfunded burdens” on law enforcement agencies caused by developing technology.

“Say you were in a traffic stop and wanted to request body cam footage from us. We have to redact all the stuff that shouldn’t be in that. We have to take all the LEADS data out of there, we have to take all the personal information out of there, and we have to use our redaction software to do that,” said police chief John Calko.

Calko said that the actual cost for video redaction would be based on the cost of the processing fee for the department’s video redaction fee and the time required for an officer to process the request. In implementing this policy Goshen Township is following in the wake of law enforcement agencies across the state and locally that have also implemented a processing fee since the approval of House Bill 315, including the city of Salem.

The board also voted unanimously to approve the hire of Mitchell Sauerwein as the department’s newest full-time patrolman. Sauerwein brings multiple years of law enforcement experience with him to the department, currently serving as a full-time patrolman for the village of Poland. Calko said that prior to that position, Sauerwein served full time with the Mill Creek Metro Parks and part time “with various other departments since 2020.” Sauerwein also serves as a member of the Mahoning County Dive team, a position he will continue to hold while serving the township.

“He is bringing with him five years of law enforcement experience and I believe he will be a great asset to the Goshen Police District and fit in well with the department,” Calko said

Other police matters approved included the implementation of a $5 fee for the department’s golf cart inspection service, which certifies that golf carts have the necessary features such as headlights, windshield wipers and brakes for use on the roadway as part of the registration process.

The board of trustees will meet next at 9 a.m. April 17 for a special meeting to hire a new road department worker and will meet for its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. May 13.