TOWSON, MD—The Baltimore County Police Department on Friday issued its first policy governing the public release of footage from body-worn cameras.

The policy, which aims to clarify the circumstances under which footage will be released and the procedures for release, reinforces the department’s commitment to the improvement of policing strategies and accountability.

“This policy is an important step in continuing to build and maintain trust between law enforcement and the community,” said Chief Melissa Hyatt. “The policy will preserve the integrity of investigations while respecting the privacy of individuals.”

Under the policy, the Chief of Police can make a decision to release footage from critical incidents and positive interactions with officers and the community within 30 days of the incident, even if there has not been a request for footage (critical incidents are high-profile encounters, along with use-of-force incidents that are defined at length within the policy).

The Chief will consult with the State’s Attorney prior to releasing critical incident footage.

The policy includes a process by which the State’s Attorney can request an extension of the release in order to preserve a defendant’s right to a fair trial.

The full body-worn camera video release policy can be viewed below or by clicking here.

I pledged to make Baltimore County more transparent and accountable for every resident, and we continue to deliver on that promise.

My statement on @BaltCoPolice announcing their body-worn camera footage release policy. https://t.co/BYMhiibD5Z pic.twitter.com/bYnjVNX9SC

— County Executive Johnny Olszewski (@BaltCoExec) February 7, 2020

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