Police departments around the country are adopting the use of body-worn cameras to film encounters with the public, but it’s created a conflict over who has the right to view the footage, The New York Times reports. In the state of Washington, the Seattle Police Department has set up a YouTube channel that broadcasts blurred images in order to protect privacy. But in Bremerton, the police chief chose not to buy the cameras after testing them because he feared the state’s public records laws would require him to turn film over, which could violate privacy. Thus far, 87 bills on body cameras have been introduced in 29 legislatures, with 15 states aiming to limit what of the footage becomes public. (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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