COLUMBUS, Ohio — The city of Columbus has fired a police officer after he allegedly downloaded body camera footage from the department’s system without submitting a public records request.
Public Safety Director Kate Pishotti upheld Police Chief Elaine Bryant’s recommendation to terminate Officer Spencer Badger following a disciplinary hearing on March 3, according to WOSU. In a statement on March 4, Pishotti said Badger admitted to “improperly and repeatedly downloading law enforcement materials to a personal device.”
Pishotti stated that Badger’s actions violated both the law and Columbus Division of Police policy.
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“This is no simple mistake or one-time oversight. It is critical misconduct,” Pishotti said.
The Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9 announced plans to take the case to arbitration. Union President Brian Steel acknowledged that Badger’s actions violated policy but called the termination an “excessive punishment.”
“His efforts to bring an inside view of policing to the community and often positive interactions have been widely recognized across the country,” Steel said in a statement.
WOSU reports that Badger was placed on desk duty in May 2024 and later on administrative leave while the department conducted a criminal investigation into whether he illegally downloaded videos from the Axon body camera system.
Badger is well known for managing the “Columbus Police Body Camera” YouTube channel, which has over 321,000 subscribers, along with another channel called “Thoughts of a Police Officer.” His content frequently features body camera footage of traffic stops, police shootings and other law enforcement interactions in the Columbus area.
Badger was hired by the Columbus Division of Police in 2011.
