The Salinas Police Department will continue to consider best practices in regards to how data from body-worn cameras is stored and released as the legal parameters around the subject continue to evolve, the city wrote in its official response to recommendations made by the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury.
In June, the Civil Grand Jury issued their final report, and in it, they reviewed the use of body-worn cameras by all Monterey County law enforcement agencies.
In regards to Salinas police, the report described it as the agency with the "most sophisticated" body-worn camera system in the county but contended that the department’s policy didn’t meet state legal requirements as to how it downloads and stores the camera data, a point that the Salinas city council disagreed with, according to the city’s official response to the report.
State law only requires agencies to “consider the best practices regarding the downloading and storage of body-worn camera data. It does not require it,” the city’s response reads.
“As the law, technology and best practices pertaining the use, storage and release of (body-worn cameras) and the data obtained is rapidly evolving, the Legislature incorporated language that provides latitude for the subject matter experts to determine which practice(s) will or will not be incorporated,” the city’s response continues.
Salinas police will implement best practices that it determines appropriate for the agency and community, with recommendations from legal and subject matter experts available at the time, the city’s response reads. It will also continue to have the Salinas police chief and city attorney meet regularly to review the policy to ensure that it complies with current laws and practices.
August 18, 2016
The Californian
By Chelcey Adami
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