Court Weighs When State Police Videos Should Be Made Public
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A case that could force Pennsylvania police agencies to make public at least some of the recordings officers make in the field is awaiting a decision by the state's highest court.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday considered a legal dispute that began with a state police response to a 2014 traffic accident near State College.
Police videos are routinely released in some states, but that happens infrequently in Pennsylvania.
The case raises questions about what constitutes investigative materials that police can withhold and how to balance laws that address access to public records, handling of criminal history information and wiretapping rules.
The state police say Commonwealth Court erred when it sided last year with a woman who sought videos from the scene of a friend's accident.
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