The Richmond Heights City Council recently enacted new legislation mandating that all retail establishments within its jurisdiction install cameras to record the faces of individuals entering or exiting their premises, as well as the immediate vicinity outside their storefronts.

Under the provisions of the legislation, businesses are obligated to allow law enforcement access to the footage in the event of suspected criminal activity. Specifically, if a crime is observed or believed to have occurred, businesses are required to promptly notify the City’s Division of Police and provide immediate access to the recorded footage.

The ordinance stipulates that video surveillance systems must be capable of capturing the faces of individuals entering and exiting, with a minimum requirement of one camera positioned at each entrance and exit to cover the immediate external area of the premises.

This move follows a previous initiative in 2022, when Richmond Heights mandated the installation of cameras in all apartment buildings at the request of then-Police Chief Tom Wetzel.

In response to inquiries regarding compliance with the new ordinance, current Police Chief Calvin Williams affirmed that businesses are indeed obligated to surrender any requested footage. He emphasized that should a business refuse to comply, law enforcement will pursue obtaining a warrant to access the necessary footage.

Chief Williams views this ordinance not as an expansion of police surveillance, but rather as an alignment of retail businesses with the existing requirements imposed on apartment buildings within the city.

Williams highlighted, “Apartment buildings already have a requirement. So, this makes it more equal for all the places that we have had complaints.”

He further emphasized to the City Council, “This brings our business community — our stores, our banks, our bars, restaurants, and similar establishments — into compliance with the current city ordinance.”

According to city documents, businesses will be given a grace period of six months to comply with the new ordinance. Failure to install the required cameras within this timeframe may result in fines of up to $500 per citation, with the possibility of new citations being issued for each day the cameras remain absent beyond the initial six-month period.