Lawmakers advised to set data policy beyond police body cams

St. Paul, Minn.

February 10, 2015 12:34 PM

Using a body camera — A red light on the body camera worn by officer Dan Merseth indicates the camera is active during a Feb. 2 traffic stop in Duluth, Minn. The city's 110 officer-worn cameras generate 8,000 to 10,000 videos per month, according to Chief Gordon Ramsay. The videos are kept for at least 30 days and sometimes longer.
Jim Mone / AP

Minnesota lawmakers are being advised to think beyond police officer body cameras as they consider how to manage loads of data being scooped up by newer law enforcement tools.

Government data policy expert Don Gemberling told the House Civil Law Committee on Tuesday that fast-evolving technology makes it important that any rewrite of access laws isn't too narrowly focused.

Legislators will debate bills this session putting limits around video footage gathered by police body cameras, which are being embraced by many departments. Among the concerns are how long the data is kept on file and what redactions get made to protect privacy of witnesses, minors and homeowners.

Gemberling cited a recent report by The Associated Press that accumulated data for evidentiary purposes will be expensive for local governments to manage.

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