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Baltimore May Increase Restrictions On Releasing Bodycam Footage

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Anders Hagstrom Justice Reporter
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The Baltimore city council may increase restrictions for publicizing police body camera footage after Republican members proposed the resolution.

The resolution comes as eight Baltimore Police Department officers are being investigated for planting evidence on crime scenes after the release of incriminating bodycam footage. Republican Councilmen Todd Crandell and Wade Kach scheduled a vote on the resolution for Oct. 19. If passed, the council will draft a message urging the Maryland General Assembly to pass police protections, the Baltimore Sun reported.

“This is simply about a layer of protection for innocent victims and bystanders for their privacy,” Crandell told the Sun.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland will fight any proposed legislation to further protect police, however, claiming that existing legislation provides more than enough protections for officers. (RELATED: Baltimore May Have To Drop 850 Cases Due To Police Misconduct)

“Privacy is important and it should be protected, but no one has ever been able to show how it isn’t under existing law,” ACLU attorney David Rocah said, calling the resolution “deeply misguided.”

Baltimore County State Attorney Scott Shellenberger will testify in support of the resolution. While he acknowledges the need for public access to footage, he also said there are holes in existing privacy law.

“I candidly admit that it’s going to be difficult to thread this needle because the purpose of body cameras is transparency, and yet here we are bringing up a privacy issue,” Shellenberger said.

Existing state law allows police departments to redact portions of video over privacy concerns, much like how portions of printed documents can be blotted out. Shellenberger argues this protection isn’t enough. Rocah claims otherwise, saying video records should not have more protections than printed records.

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