COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVN) -- Three prominent law enforcement executives from the Columbus area are calling on the Ohio Attorney General to be more transparent with the case of BCI agents and expired Kevlar vests.
Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein and Ohio Fraternal Order of Police Vice President Jason Pappas are demanding the increased transparency from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. DeWine's office released heavily redacted emails to the Associated Press for a story about agents with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation being forced to wear expired bulletproof vests."
As a sheriff of a large county, I can tell you that's unacceptable," Baldwin says. "Our men & women, first responders that go out and put their lives on the line every day for you and me deserve to have the best of equipment out there."
The three men pressed the Attorney General for the action during a news conference outside the state FOP headquarters, three blocks from the Ohio Statehouse.
The event was organized and publicized by the Ohio Democratic Party. Baldwin & Klein are both Democrats. DeWine, a Republican, is running for Governor against Richard Cordray, a Democrat, about two months from now. They did not indicate whether the message was political, or simply addressing their thoughts from an apolitical law enforcement perspective.
"Every year, nearly 50,000 officers are assaulted in the performance of their duties," Pappas said. "Annually, firearms are one of the leading causes of death for law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty."
Klein insists DeWine should make it a priority to invest in Kevlar vests if the Attorney General cares about officer safety.