On Tuesday, PGCMA President Joseph Solomon and MML staff joined Delegate Jazz Lewis in support oh HB 717, which would create a task force to study the options for economical storage of audio and video recordings made by body-worn cameras.
Body-worn cameras have proven to be a useful transparency tools for local governments in Maryland. The initial costs of body-worn cameras were manageable and sometimes offset by grants. However, after the wave of early adoption, police departments and local jurisdictions began to experience the real cost: storage. Across the nation, police departments have since scraped programs and proposals.
MML testified that this legislation could help identify solutions to the storage cost problems plaguing local police departments, and ultimately, save body-worn programs in Maryland.
The League did ask for a technical amendment to change one of the Task Force members from a member of MML’s HEPAC to a member of MML designated by the President of the League.