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.
Current Issues with Requests for Police Body-Worn Camera Videos and the Mass. Public Records Law
Wednesday, Sept. 20, 1-2 p.m.
MBA Zoom Webinar
Click here to register.
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.