News Releases

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today empaneled an advisory committee to review Ohio’s facial-recognition database.

Yost previously announced that the panel will advise the attorney general’s office on how to properly operate Ohio’s facial-recognition system as an effective tool for law enforcement while protecting privacy and civil liberties. 

“I am ready to work with all those interested in improving rules, transparency and safeguards to prevent abuses,” Yost said.

The advisory committee’s first meeting was held today in Columbus. The advisory committee is chaired by Sara Andrews, Executive Director of the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission and includes:

• John Eklund, Ohio Senate
• Jeff LaRe, Ohio House of Representatives
• Paula Hicks-Hudson, Ohio House of Representatives
• Forrest Thompson, Prosecutor, Medina County
• Patrick Clark, Asst. State Public Defender, Ohio Public Defender’s Office
• Anne Dean, Assistant Registrar, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
• Judge Matthew Reger, Wood County Court of Common Pleas
• Terri Enns, Professor, The Ohio State University and member, ACLU Ohio
• Dennis Hirsch, Professor, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• Joel King, Jr., NAACP
• Larry Price, Elder, NAACP
• Jessica Kim, Asst. U.S. Attorney, U.S. Dept. of Justice
• Tom Stein, Deputy General Counsel, CLEAR
• Steve Robinette, Councilman, City of Grove City
• Monica Moll, Ph.D., Director of Public Safety, The Ohio State University
• Brian DiMasi, Senior Corporate Counsel, Safelite Auto Glass
• Jeremy Hansford, IT Manager, Ohio State Highway Patrol
• Wesley Haynes, Chief of Police, Warrensville Heights Police Department
• Gregory Lashutka, Senior Consultant, Findley Davies
• Brian Ray, Professor, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
• Linda Scott, Asst. Prosecutor, Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office
• Phil Stammitti, Sheriff, Lorain County
• Carol O’Brien, Deputy Atty. General for Law Enforcement & Chief Counsel, Ohio Atty. General’s Office
• Joseph Morbitzer, Superintendent, Atty. General’s Office’s BCI
• Heinz von Eckartsberg, Asst. Superintendent, Atty. General’s Office’s BCI
• Beth Owens, Director of Identification, Atty. General’s Office’s BCI
• Jill Small, OHLEG Director, Atty. General’s Office’s BCI
• Lisa Sprague, Atty. General’s Office’s BCI