Ed Stone: No police cam transparency

Regarding the July 12 news article “McCrory signs bill restricting view of police camera recordings”: The newly signed law regulating access to police body cam videos sends a clear signal that neither the police nor the legislature values transparency in law enforcement. To use phrases we have heard applied to describe law enforcement officers in recent days, the video of a public officer performing his public duties in public will be released only when his “brothers and sisters” of his “tightly knit family” decide it is appropriate or when a judge demands it.

This intentional opaqueness is evidence of a serious divide between the personal interests of law enforcement officers and the interests of those they have sworn to serve.

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 3:56 PM with the headline "Ed Stone: No police cam transparency."