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ACLU of Michigan Supports Police-Worn Body Cameras... With Limitations

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ACLU of Michigan stipulates how they think the cameras should be used, and for how long the footage is archived.

As law enforcement agencies across Washtenaw County are adding, or considering the addition of, police-worn body cameras, a civil liberties organization is weighing in as to how this technology should be used.

Officials with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan made their support known this week, as long as some caveats are met. The ACLU voiced concerns that the use of the cameras should not be used for the systemic surveillance of the public. Objections were also raised as to how long the video footage should be archived. Legal Director, Michael Steinberg, asserted that in most cases, the footage should only be saved for a matter of weeks, "unless the video is flagged because there has been an allegation of misconduct or when the use of force is in play."

Steinberg says the cameras are an excellent oversight mechanism; however, there needs to be a larger strategy toward police accountability, and greater efforts to restore the trust of the public.

Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.       

Like many, I first came to this area when I started school at the University of Michigan, then fell in love with the community and haven’t left. After graduating from U of M in the mid 1990’s I interned at WDET for several years, while also working a variety of jobs in Ann Arbor. Then in 1999 I joined the WEMU news team.