By Gloria Pazmino
The union representing rank-and-file police officers is suing Mayor
Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill, alleging that the
city is violating state law in their decision to release body-worn
camera footage.
The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, which represents thousands of uniformed police officers, is filing suit
at New York State Supreme Court on Tuesday related to section 50-A of
the state's civil rights law which, the union argues, precludes footage
from a body-worn camera to be released to the public unless there is a
court order.
The lawsuit alleges the city, at the direction of de Blasio and NYPD
leadership, is deciding to release footage by using “arbitrary and
inconsistent” parameters that also take “political considerations” into
account and ignore the state law.
The state law was passed in 1976 and prohibits the public issuance or
mention in court of an officer’s personnel record without judicial
approval — a key portion of the law which union President Pat Lynch said
also extends to the release of body-worn camera footage.
“We're suing to prevent the Mayor and the NYPD from arbitrarily and
illegally releasing body camera footage. This footage has serious
implications not only for the safety and due process rights of police
officers, but for the privacy and rights of members of the public, as
well,” Lynch said in a statement.
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Source: Politico (via Empire Report New York)
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