On February 25, Associate Policy Director Sarah Sample testified before the Judiciary Committee in support of HB 669 – Law Enforcement Officers – Body-Worn Cameras – Requirements with amendments.
This bill will implement a balanced release of police body camera footage, while being conscious of the broader privacy concerns of Maryland residents who might – either intentionally or inadvertently – be recorded by public safety officials.
The PIA works well for paper documents and similar media, but is not configured to properly address the massive amounts of video that are created through police body cameras. This bill takes that understanding into account. Unlike police dashboard cameras, which are limited in both use and the areas they film, there is far more body camera video generated and it will show scenes never before subject to public scrutiny – including the insides of private homes and businesses.
HB 669 would create a needed policy on how police body camera video should be handled under the Maryland Public Information Act (PIA). The bill would provide for mandatory denial and removal of certain records but outlines extensively the many important ways the footage should and should not be made available, edited, or stored. This has the effect of ensuring public access to records and privacy, and sufficient protections for police investigations, training, and taxpayer dollars.
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