Cincinnati-operated cameras have been down during recent crimes, city won't say how many

As police continue to investigate a fight in the middle of the Montgomery Inn Boathouse parking lot, they may be missing what could be crucial evidence. There was no security footage due to a non-operating Cincinnati police camera.

The confrontation put two people in the hospital but also brought to light an issue that has been concerning officers throughout the city.

Ken Kober, the president of Cincinnati's police union, said failing, outdated cameras have been a growing problem and there have been instances when police and prosecutors needed footage and didn't have it.

"It's incredibly important to have those cameras working," Kober said. "There are certain judges and prosecutors that if you don't have video of certain events, they just won't prosecute them."

He said this can result in plea deals and charges getting dismissed.

Last October, a 6-year-old was injured in a hit-and-run in Winton Hills . According to Enquirer media partner Fox19 , the cameras and license plate readers in that area were not working when the child was struck.

In January 2023, cameras near Paycor Stadium were not working when Bengals running back Joe Mixon was involved in a confrontation with another driver .

City officials would not tell The Enquirer how many of its cameras were not functioning and would not turn over data about its cameras, citing security concerns.

City spokeswoman Mollie Lair said more than 90% of the cameras operated by the Cincinnati Police Department are operational. It is unclear how many cameras the city operates and if some of those cameras are operated by other departments.

Apparently, the city's data on its cameras includes information about the locations of those cameras.

"Divulging the location of the city’s cameras would invite vandalism of the cameras and network equipment and permit criminals to evade areas under surveillance, especially if it is known that certain cameras are not operational," the city said in a statement in response to a public records request.

It has been more than five weeks since the fight at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. Last week, Cincinnati Police said the investigation was still ongoing and interviews with witnesses were still underway. The department did not respond to a request for an update on Monday.

The lawyer representing Lois and Doug Morrow, who were hospitalized after the fight, said they are satisfied with the police investigation . But there have been calls on social media for more transparency since WCPO weatherman Steve Raleigh and at least one of his sons were present at the incident, and Raleigh is the son-in-law of former sheriff, judge and prosecutor Simon Leis Jr.

Funding could be coming soon

U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman said he is aware of the problem as well and is working to get federal funds to fix it.

During a tour of the city's Emergency Communications Center, Landsman said, he learned that the wiring to many cameras is failing and the city is in need of more bucket trucks to make the repairs and replacements.

Landsman said a $1.19 million community project funding request would help with the cameras and strengthen the city's "alternative response" program, which dispatches mental health professionals alongside police to situations that call for it.

The congressman said he hopes the federal funds will free up the money the city needs to address the shortage of bucket trucks. The funding request is part of the 2025 fiscal year federal budget, which has not yet been passed. Landsman said he expects a bipartisan budget agreement to be approved in the next month or so.

Lair said the city is grateful for the funding and confirmed some of the money will be used to improve the city's camera system and replace broken units.

Kober said the city has been working for months to fix the cameras and as of the middle of July "nearly all" the cameras in the Downtown area were functioning. He said the cameras are crucial for public safety.

"It's become a day and age where a person's word just isn't enough anymore," Kober said. "We have to have video evidence of everything."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati-operated cameras have been down during recent crimes, city won't say how many