Hogan Signs Bills On Body Cameras, Policing, Community Relations
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Governor Larry Hogan signed a law paving the way for police in Maryland to wear body cameras.
Derek Valcourt has more on what the move will mean for law enforcement.
City leaders believe body cameras will add a layer of transparency to a department already struggling with public trust.
Long before the outrage over Freddie Gray's death in police custody, Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts advocated for his officers wearing body cameras.
"Body cameras offer us a unique way to change the way we interact with citizens," Batts said.
Pressure to bring body cameras to Baltimore ramped up after video of alleged police brutality played out in the media followed by a scathing report from the Baltimore Sun showing millions of taxpayer dollars were spent as a result of cops behaving badly.
In the wake of the recent Baltimore riot, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake made a promise.
"Our department will have body cameras by the year's end," she said.
With a stroke of his pen Tuesday, Governor Larry Hogan paved the way for body cameras by giving police officers an exemption to the law that makes it illegal in Maryland to record someone's conversation without their knowledge.
It's being hailed as a victory by many, including the attorney for Freddie Gray's family.
"The longer we wait to implement body cameras, the longer citizens will be at risk from bodily harm or death at the hands of rogue police officers," said attorney Billy Murphy.
The new law also requires a special state commission to develop statewide body camera policies. Advocates say there are still a lot of details to be ironed out, including letting the public see the body camera videos.
"Who has access, how they have access, how much the access costs and when they have access," said Delegate Curt Anderson. "Because all that's important and none of that has been decided yet."
The new statewide body camera policies are expected to be developed and put into place by January 1 of next year.
