If you request a copy of a police body-cam or dash-cam video and are denied by the Fishers
Chief of Police, you may now ask the Board of Works and Public Safety to review that decision. The Board of Works enacted a resolution Monday establishing itself as the place citizens may go when the police department denies a request for video.
City Attorney Chris Greisl outlined the Indiana state statute on public access of law enforcement videos. Anyone requesting a copy of such a video will need to provide the approximate day and time, as well as the individual or individuals involved, other than the police officer. There are different rules under the state statute for requests from someone with a connection to the person in the video, such as a family member or attorney, compared to a request from the general public.
The job of the Board of Works, under the newly-enacted policy, will be to review the denial of the video and determine whether the denial is in line with the state law.
Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness complimented Police Chief Ed Gebhart for his willingness to establish the procedure for the Board of Works to review his denial of video requests.
The city has been “watching very carefully what has transpired in some of these cities across the U.S. in the most traumatic moments of a police officer involved shooting,” Fadness said. “When it’s left to the police department itself to make the determination on whether to release the video or not, it tears the community apart and puts a lot of undo pressure on the police chief while they’re trying to deal with something that’s pretty dramatic in its own right.”
Chief Gebhart said his department is in the process of installing body-cams, with many already in use. His goal is to have all officers with the cameras installed by early 2020. The city budget for 2020 provides police with a civilian position to manage the videos, which the city plans to retain for 210 days.
The Board of Works and Public Safety consists of three members, the mayor and his two appointees. The Fishers board is made up of Mayor Fadness, Jason Meyer and Jeff Lantz.
“I would imagine that nine times out of ten (the Board of Works) will likely be in alignment with the Chief (of Police) about it,” according to the mayor, “but the process, I think, is really important to instill trust and transparency with not only our local community but the media as well.”
The full text of the enacted resolution is available at this link.