The South Portland Police Department has released the document that spells out its officers should use the body cameras that they will begin wearing in a few weeks.
The department posted the policy on its Facebook page following calls from civil liberties advocates for assurance the the cameras will not be used to invade people’s privacy. The policy was not initially released when the department announced that it would begin using the technology. The ACLU of Maine filed a public records request for the document, according Legal Director Zach Heiden.
Privacy advocates worry that footage of people’s personal lives could made public. Police body camera recordings are subject to Maine public records law, according to Heiden, although the policy provides exceptions for footage pertinent to open investigations. Continue…