Agencies differ on release of body-cam videos
Vexing questions linger about privacy, value of police footage
The presence of police body cameras on the streets might lead to more civilized behavior, but when an encounter does need review, questions often arise over how much the public can see, and when. The video might need editing to protect the privacy of passers-by, suspects or officers.
And as more municipalities begin to gather files in quantity, many have failed to articulate consistent policies under which the video is approved for release. In fact, a national study found that dozens of agencies do not post their release rules.
It took more than a year for Chicago police — under pressure from the media and the public — to release video footage of the shooting in 2014 that left Laquan McDonald dead, 16 bullets in his body. When a judge finally insisted the video be released, it cast doubt on the police department’s version of events.
Witnesses and family members maintained that McDonald hadn’t lunged at police with a knife. The 17-year-old did have a knife and slashed a tire on the police cruiser. The video, which was from a police dashboard camera, showed him walking away before he was fatally shot. Officer Jason Van Dyke was charged with firstdegree murder.
The long delay in the video’s public release points to questions that have vexed many police departments, civil liberties advocates and elected officials: Under what circumstances should footage from police body and dashboard cameras be made public, and how much should be released?
The issue has become more pressing after the Obama administration’s award of more than $41 million in the past two years to help law enforcement agencies buy body cameras for officers. The purpose, outgoing Attorney General Loretta Lynch said, is to “build upon efforts to mend the fabric of trust, respect and common purpose that all communities need to thrive.”
The grant money came with little guidance about how localities should handle the resulting requests for the public release of hundreds of hours of video footage. Are these ordinary public
The purpose of body cameras is to “build upon efforts to mend the fabric of trust.” Attorney General Loretta Lynch