Pennsylvania just made it harder to see police videos
(AP/Matt Rourke)
A new Pennsylvania law is in place that exempts police audio and video recordings from the Right-to-Know Law, leaving the release of those records largely to the discretion of police.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill Friday that also clears legal hurdles that kept police departments from using body cameras, likely expanding their use greatly.
The legislation was supported by police groups, and lawmakers passed it overwhelmingly. The American Civil Liberties Union opposed it, warning that it’ll keep police videos largely out of public view.
The bill would let police and prosecutors deny requests for footage if they can’t remove or obscure the identity of a confidential informant or victim, or the evidence in a criminal or administrative investigation.
The state police are planning to start using body cameras.
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