Police apply for body camera grant

by Laura Bednar

Aug. 22 township trustees meeting

Bath Township trustees authorized the police department to apply for a grant through the Office of Criminal Justice Services, a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, to purchase body cameras.

Police Chief and Township Administrator Vito Sinopoli said the current cameras are between five and six years old and coming to the end of their useful life, as battery packs are dying. He explained that the camera manufacturer does not offer battery replacement, so unit replacement is the only option.

Sinopoli said 25 Axon brand cameras cost $130,000.

School resource officer

Trustees approved a $30,000 payment to Richfield Village for the school resource officer who serves the Revere district.

Sinopoli said the cost for Richfield officer Scott Dressler is split among Bath, Richfield and the Revere Board of Education.

“Dressler has been helpful for addressing issues in Revere Schools,” said Sinopoli.

He added that there were only four juvenile issues in the district last school year; all were addressed within the school, without the use of police department intervention.

In other news

The fire department removed firefighter/paramedic Brent Bergdorf from probationary status effective Aug. 25. Bergdorf is a Bath resident and previously served as a full-time firefighter in Barberton.

Sinopoli said the township has received 595 responses to the community survey, sent to residents in early August. The deadline for responses was Sept. 30. ∞