City of Baltimore - File #: 06-0220R

• File #: 06-0220R
• Version: 0
• Name: Informational Hearing - Baltimore Police Department Policy - Recording of Custodial Interrogations
• Type: City Council Resolution
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 9/25/2006
• In control: City Council
• Final action: 12/7/2006
• Title: Informational Hearing - Baltimore Police Department Policy - Recording of Custodial Interrogations FOR the purpose of requesting the Baltimore Police Commissioner to share with the City Council the departmental policy on the use of video and audio recording in custodial interrogations; an analysis of the efficacy of recording devices in preventing wrongful convictions and in protecting police officers from false accusations of abusive, immoral or illegal actions; and any plans to retain as is, expand, or improve the existing program.
• Sponsors: President Dixon, President Young, Helen L. Holton, Edward Reisinger, Keiffer Mitchell, Agnes Welch
• Indexes: Police, Resolution

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
12/7/2006	0	Public Safety Subcommittee	Recommended Favorably with Amendment
12/7/2006	0	City Council	Adopted
10/30/2006	0	Public Safety Subcommittee	Scheduled for a Public Hearing
9/28/2006	0	The City Council	Referred for a Report
9/25/2006	0	City Council	Introduced
9/25/2006	0	City Council	Assigned

* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*

CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: President Dixon

A RESOLUTION ENTITLED

A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Informational Hearing - Baltimore Police Department Policy - Recording of Custodial Interrogations

FOR the purpose of requesting the Baltimore Police Commissioner to share with the City Council the departmental policy on the use of video and audio recording in custodial interrogations; an analysis of the efficacy of recording devices in preventing wrongful convictions and in protecting police officers from false accusations of abusive, immoral or illegal actions; and any plans to retain as is, expand, or improve the existing program.
Body
Recitals

The International Association of Chiefs of Police Association Policy Center's recently published Electronic Recording Of Interrogations And Confessions model policy states: "It is the policy of this law enforcement agency to electronically record specific custodial interrogations and confessions in order to provide an evidentiary record of statements made by suspects of major crimes. Such electronic recordings help protect both the suspect(s) and interviewing officers against potential assertions of police coercion or related interrogation misconduct, and may increase the likelihood of successful prosecution."

In Police Experiences with Recording Custodial Interrogations, a study published in 2004, by the Northwestern University School of Law Center on Wrongful Convictions, highlig...