Regarding the July 12 news article “McCrory signs bill restricting view of police camera recordings”: Because I am a strong supporter of open records and of good policing, one would think I’d be opposed to the new law protecting police video. Instead, I support it.
Riding along with the Raleigh Police Department has shown me that police constantly interact with residents who, by virtue of their needing a police officer, are probably having a bad, bad day.
Among so many other things they do day and night, officers sort out disputes, investigate alleged assaults and hold private conversations with residents willing to share information only if it doesn’t get back to the bad guys.
Officers are often invited into people’s homes at odd hours and on short notice, too.
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None of this has any business being public. Making it public not only makes officers’ jobs that much harder, it also puts a lot of vulnerable residents at risk.
I have no doubt that police video would be released should a compelling need arise. In all other cases it should remain private.
While state Republican leaders have provided plenty of heartburn with their dismantling of our beloved state, this is one they got right.
Mark Turner
Raleigh
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