Body camera use debated
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
About 20 people gathered in Lawrenceville on Thursday evening to discuss how footage from police body cameras ought to be disseminated.
Legislation pending in the state Senate would make the video available only if either law enforcement or prosecutors agree it should be released.
Under Senate Bill 560, either agency can deny a public records request for body camera footage if it believes it is evidence in a criminal investigation.
The panel discussion Thursday was sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.
State Rep. Dom Costa, D-Stanton Heights, said that he is gathering input from the public to use in a House version of the bill but that he primarily views the footage as an evidence-gathering tool.
“It’s very important law enforcement keeps evidence confidential until the trial,” he said. The Legislature looks at this as something “to build a good case.”
He believes it should be up to the prosecution to decide what should be released.
“They’re the ones that know what they need and don’t need.”
Brandi Fisher of the Alliance for Police Accountability said that the idea of allowing law enforcement agencies to be the ones to decide what is released — particularly if there are allegations against individual officers — is “ridiculous.”
“You’re still asking us to trust the same agency that produced the wrongdoing.”
Making body camera footage accessible to the public could help rebuild damaged relationships between the community and law enforcement, Ms. Fisher said.