Campaign stop becomes platform for public safety positions
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton, a former state health director, used a campaign event at Scotty's Cafe near Bexley to outline her positions on law enforcement, including her opposition to ending qualified immunity and her support for Flock surveillance cameras, which she said have helped solve crimes.
"We're working very closely with our law enforcement officers to use technology in all the right ways to protect Ohioans," Acton said. "I absolutely know that we have had, as Gov. DeWine has said, many crimes solved due to the use of technology."
Her remarks came after she announced the endorsement of the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (OPBA), which is also backing Democrat Sherrod Brown for U.S. Senate. The police union's endorsement splits with the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, which has endorsed Acton's Republican opponent, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Qualified immunity and the ballot campaign
Acton weighed in on a ballot campaign to end qualified immunity for law enforcement, a legal doctrine that protects police officers from personal liability in lawsuits. Ending it would make it easier to sue police.
"Police officers would not want to go out or take the job in the first place if they didn't have some protection against their own personal assets," said Daniel Leffler, OPBA's chief legal counsel. "We would be opposed to any type of changes to qualified immunity, and Dr. Acton has indicated that she would support us on that."
Acton's stance aligns her with the union, which has lobbied against efforts to remove such protections.
Flock cameras and public safety review
If elected, Acton said she would conduct a comprehensive review of public safety and emergency response, including AI-powered surveillance technology like Flock cameras. Supporters say the technology helps police solve crimes and keep Ohioans safe, while critics raise concerns about privacy and whether local agencies are using Flock to assist in immigration enforcement.
Acton's comments came in response to questions about the cameras, which have become a point of debate in Ohio and elsewhere.
Pension contributions and legislative gridlock
George Sakellakis, OPBA's director of organization, said Acton would back the union's efforts to increase municipal employers' contributions to police and fire pensions, an issue that has stalled in the GOP-controlled Legislature, where Ramaswamy's running mate leads one chamber. "These contribution rates have not been changed since the Reagan years," Sakellakis said.
Response to Ramaswamy ad
Acton also responded to a Ramaswamy campaign ad that accuses her of inspiring violence against police because of comments she made at The City Club of Cleveland in June 2025, where she discussed U.S. immigration policy. In those remarks, she said criminals should be arrested but took issue with masked immigration officers.
"There are people coming out there, wearing masks with all the gear on. We don't even know who they are. They're just showing up. Does this not feel like the Ku Klux Klan to anyone? That's what we're seeing. That is not OK, guys," Acton said at the time.
Asked about the speech a year later, Acton said, "First of all, I absolutely adore first responders." She added, "I was talking about Minneapolis in a moment where, you know, I was saying that we need to hold anyone who comes to our state to the same standards of professionalism that we expect of our public safety officers, and I will always fight for that. People of Ohio deserve to feel safe, and they deserve the professionalism and the training."
Immigration enforcement stance
Acton also said she would not join other Democratic governors in directing local police not to assist federal immigration enforcement. "We always work with the federal law enforcement, and we will do so, whatever it takes to keep Ohioans safe," she said.
The remarks underscore Acton's effort to position herself on public safety issues as she campaigns for the Democratic nomination in a competitive primary.