Please join the Massachusetts Bar Association's Public Law Section Council to
hear a discussion about current issues with requests for police body-worn
camera videos and the Massachusetts Public Records Law, with featured speaker
Stephen Roche, second associate city solicitor for the city of Springfield, and
program moderator Jacqueline Welch, Esq.
Police body-worn cameras (BWC) play a significant role in law enforcement
today. The Massachusetts Police Reform Law (General Laws Chapter 253 2020)
recognized the vital role of BWCs in criminal justice.
Responding to requests for BWC videos sometimes involves an intricate balance
between freedom of information and statutory and other exemptions to
the public records disclosure process. For example, exemptions from the
Massachusetts Public Records Law can include records or information compiled for
law enforcement investigatory purposes.
Other issues involve logistics and the burden on police departments, cities
and towns to store, retain, review, retrieve and redact thousands of hours of
video that are potentially subject to public records disclosure requests.
This webinar will be hosted using Zoom. Registration is required by
3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19, to participate in this program. After
you register with the MBA, please look for an email from MassBar
Education with the Webinar ID and Password. The email will be sent
before the program.
Faculty:
Stephen Roche, Esq., Program Co-Chair
Springfield Law Department, Springfield
Jacqueline Welch, Esq., Program Co-chair
Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC, Boston