HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 12-16 New peoposal, old divide on Minnesota body camera rules KARE11 � New proposal, old divide on Minnesota body camera rules
Lawmakers discuss access to body cam video
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ST.PAUL, Minn. -New legislation proposing body camera guidelines for Minnesota police and dictating how resulting footage is
handled hasn't resolved nagging issues between accountability goals and transparency concerns.
State lawmakers struggled Wednesday to strike the appropriate balance as police interests and watchdog groups pulled them in
competing directions.One lawmaker lamented how far apart the sides remain in writing statewide rules even as more portable
cameras are deployed in departments around Minnesota.
Prior legislative efforts to craft a body camera law stalled.The new proposal contains more restrictions on when recordings are made
while offering limited public access to the resulting footage.
Police groups argued for even tighter data control. Police accountability advocates said they were leery about walling too much off.
"I believe that there should be concrete policies that define when those cameras go on,"said St. Paul activist Diane Binns.
Body cameras are up for debate among state lawmakers. But agreement still looks a long way off.
Oh we're no where near deciding on something at this point,"said Rep. Dan Schoen, (D)St. Paul Park.
Although more Minnesota law enforcement agencies are rolling out body cameras for officers to wear--many others are waiting until
the legislature passes guidelines as law.
Those agencies have questions like when the cameras should be turned on, how long videos should be kept,who's identities need
to be protected,and which videos would be available to the public.
And even after the Senate passed one bill, and the House has written two--they are no closer to agreeing on those questions.
"They want to put so many restrictions on this bill, it wouid never make it out of my committee the way it is now. IYs slanted,"said
Rep.Tony Cornish,(R)Vernon Center.Wednesday's joint hearing between House and Senate communities let lawmakers hear from
officers.
"We're supportive of a bill that ultimately classifies and clearly clarifies when body camera footage is public and accessible,"Chief
Paul Schnell of the Maplewood Police Department.
And hear from the public.
"We do want to makes sure there are appropriate safeguards for victims to protect safety and privacy,"said Laura Taken-Holtze of
Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
But even among the stake-holders there are wide differing views on how the technology should be used.
Right now agencies are free to make their own guidelines and the legislature isn't required to pass a bill this spring.And even among
the lawmakers,there are some who think it should be a top priority and others who don't think it's needed.
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