In the ever-growing list of issues a police officer must be prepared for, responding to structure fires may fall way down the list, but maybe it shouldn’t. The risks and exposures from fires are growing every day, and police officers are often the first emergency personnel to arrive.

The State of Ohio is currently considering legislation that would require that nearly all police body camera video be subject to public records disclosure.

You get a call from the chief of police about using a drone in his department. They are excited about the many uses in law enforcement, such as surveillance on rooftops where snipers may be or have been, traffic accident investigations where there is a big traffic jam, and various other things. He asks what they need to do to start operating; they can buy one online with fancy cameras for only a few hundred dollars.

I recently had the opportunity to mingle with public entity risk managers from across the country at the national PRIMA conference in Atlanta. I took the opportunity to ask those I met (as often as I could, while trying not to be too annoying), “How can we reduce law enforcement auto accidents?” And while my data collection would not stand up to scientific scrutiny, I am confident it is a fair reflection of the situation. Two conclusions are clear:

In order for a police officer to arrive safely at a call, he or she must be able to drive without obstructions and distractions, which can be very difficult in today’s environment. When driving, police officers often need to use radios and Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) or computers while operating emergency lights and sirens, not to mention the simultaneous use of cell phones.

Through my efforts representing law enforcement, I know that police body cameras are at the forefront of many officers’ minds. With the recent release of high profile video footage from Chicago and elsewhere, the public is now certainly engaged.