Laserfiche WebLink
This material is provided as general information and is not a substitute for legal advice. Consult your attorney for advice concerning specific situations. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />145 University Ave. West www.lmc.org 7/18/2016 <br />Saint Paul, MN 55103-2044 (651) 281-1200 or (800) 925-1122 © 2016 All Rights Reserved <br />The League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust thanks the following organizations that comprised the working group to develop and review <br />the model policy: Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust, Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, Minnesota Association of City <br />Attorneys, Minnesota County Attorneys Association, Minneapolis Police Department, St. Paul Police Department, Cannon Falls Police <br />Department, Burnsville Police Department, and Columbia Heights Police Department. Their participation does not necessarily signify agency <br />endorsement of the model policy by the individual’s employing agency. <br />INFORMATION M EMO <br />Use of Body-Worn Cameras <br /> <br />State law offers significant guidance on policies governing law enforcement use of body-worn <br />cameras (BWC) and the resulting data. This discussion and the linked model policy are intended to <br />help cities administer BWC programs and data soundly and in accordance with law. <br />RELEVANT LINKS: I. Program considerations <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />See, Justice Department <br />Announces $20 Million in <br />Funding to Support Body- <br />Worn Camera Pilot Program, <br />May 1, 2015, (last viewed <br />June 29, 2016). <br />Body-worn cameras (BWCs) are a relatively new addition to the law <br />enforcement toolkit. According to the United States Department of Justice, <br />they hold “tremendous promise” for improving public safety and increasing <br />transparency and accountability. In addition, BWCs provide a means of <br />capturing more convincing proof for use in criminal cases and protecting <br />officers against false claims of wrongdoing. However, communities <br />considering a move toward body cameras should also take stock of the costs <br />involved in setting up and maintaining a BWC program. These will include <br />purchasing the necessary hardware and software, arranging and paying for <br />data storage, responding to requests for access, preparing data for release, <br />and paying for independent biennial audits of the BWC program. <br /> II. Transparency, reporting, and external <br />oversight <br />2016 Minnesota Laws ch. <br />171, section 6, to be codified <br />as Minn. Stat. § 626.8473, <br />subd. 2. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />2016 Minnesota Laws ch. <br />171, section 6, to be codified <br />as Minn. Stat. § 626.8473, <br />subd. 3. <br />Minnesota’s new laws mandate that communities moving forward with a <br />BWC program receive public comments at three junctures in the process. <br />First, enforcement agencies must provide an opportunity for public comment <br />before purchasing or implementing a BWC system. Minimally, the agency <br />must receive comments by mail and email, but may certainly hold public <br />meetings and forums if desired. Second, the council or board with budget <br />oversight for the agency needs to allow public comment at one of its regular