As communities nationwide grapple with the best ways to promote transparency and accountability in law enforcement agencies, the implementation of body cameras has become a major part of the discussion. We supported legislation which will create a statewide body camera program, noting that the program could serve as an important tool for oversight for both the police and the community. However, the legislation only sets up the existence of the program while the actual protocol would be dictated by future regulations, which we stated should address issues such as a ban on facial recognition technology; meaningful standards for public access to body camera footage; and clear parameters on the circumstances under which a body camera must be activated. Positively, this legislation passed, and we will be closely watching any proposed regulations relating to the program.
