Privacy Advocates Release Principles for Body Cameras

To ensure law enforcement uses body cameras in a way that enhances civil rights, New America’s Open Technology Institute and 35 other privacy and civil rights organizations and advocates Friday released principles they embraced. They would among other things require law enforcement agencies implementing cameras to: develop camera policies in public; commit to a set of narrow and well-defined purposes for cameras; specify clear operational policies for recording, retention and access; make footage available to promote accountability, an OTI news release said. The principles were spearheaded by the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights. Other groups that supported the principles include the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Democracy & Technology, Electronic Frontier Foundation and Public Knowledge.