The Cincinnati police union has made it clear to city leaders that if its officers are required to wear body cameras, they'll have to be compensated.
The demand for higher pay comes after officials announced at a press conference last week that the the first group of police would start wearing the devices, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Stephen Lazarus, a lawyer for Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #69, sent the city a "cease and desist" letter, saying until pay for wearing the equipment has been decided, officers shouldn't be mandated to wear them.
"Requiring employees to wear BWCs (body worn cameras) will change several aspects of their job and regularly assigned duties," Lazarus wrote. "The adoption of of new BWC policies will also have a significant impact on the employees' wages, hours, or other terms and conditions of employment. Accordingly such changes are mandatory subjects that must be bargained to impasse with the union before they are implemented."
City Manager Harry Black contends that as the manager of the police department, he can order cameras be worn without a contract change.
"Having a body camera program fosters transparency, allows the city to better protect the public and protects officers from frivolous and fraudulent claims," he wrote in a letter sent to Lazarus. "The FOP had ample opportunity to bargain over its proposal at various bargaining sessions and during mediation. The FOP did not focus bargaining towards its BWC proposal. Considering that this is the FOP’s proposal – not management's – the burden is on the FOP to raise this issue during bargaining."
The Cincinnati union's opposition comes as police unions across the country demanding a say in the process of wearing body cameras.
