South Zanesville council authorizes redaction contract after police report on rising calls

Police Chief Mark Ross told the council the South Zanesville Police Department responded to 150 call records in May, up from 132 in April, and completed 23 reports. The department made five warrant arrests (one involving resistance that required a taser) and four misdemeanor arrests, including two thefts, a criminal trespass charge and a case involving a loose dog.

Chief Ross briefed council on a growing number of public‑records requests that include body‑camera footage containing sensitive personal information. He said a new Ohio law now allows agencies to charge up to $75 per hour, capped at $750, for processing redacted video requests. To handle redaction and transcription, Ross proposed a contract with Equature; the company charges only when services are used and fees are passed to the requestor. "The company charges no fees unless services are used, and fees are passed on to the requestor (not the village)," council minutes record. Council voted to authorize the chief to enter the contract with Equature.

Chief Ross also reported that Officer Patterson helped secure a $2,000 donation from the Zanesville VFW to the department auxiliary fund; the money will be used for equipment, including a planned red‑dot scope purchase for Unit 3‑4 and an officer‑donated sling for the same rifle.

The police report included traffic enforcement activity (56 enforcement actions across citations and warnings) and a note that of three auxiliary officers, only one logged the required eight service hours during the reporting period.