Detroit Police Union Sues over New Law for Body, Dash Camera Footage
What to know
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The Detroit Police Officers Association filed a lawsuit to block a new city ordinance requiring the release of police body and dashboard camera footage within 30 days in cases involving great bodily harm.
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The union argues the policy endangers officers and violates its collective bargaining agreement by allowing public release of identifiable footage.
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City officials say the union misinterpreted the ordinance, which includes provisions to protect officer identities and comply with contractual safeguards.
The Detroit Police Officers Association is asking a Wayne County Circuit Court judge to place a temporary injunction on a new city ordinance that requires the release of body and dash cam footage of a police officer causing great bodily harm to the public within 30 days of the incident.
The police union contends the new law can lead to the public release of identifiable images and information of police officers, potentially endangering their lives, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Wayne County Circuit Court.
The city's Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett said Wednesday the police union is misinterpreting the new ordinance.
"Either the DPOA did not thoroughly read the ordinance, or they simply misunderstand it," Mallet said in a statement to The Detroit News. "This could have been sorted out with a phone call instead of a lawsuit.”
The new ordinance the City Council passed Oct. 28 changes DPD's existing requirements to release body and dash cam footage related to shootings within 30 days of the incident. The new ordinance extends the requirement to footage involving use of bodily harm by an officer. It also requires the city "to create and maintain a publicly accessible website or similar portal dedicated to the posting" of the footage.
In addition to the safety concerns, the new policy violates the collective bargaining agreement between the police union and the city, the lawsuit contends.
Mallet said there is "no basis for this lawsuit or the request for a temporary restraining order."
The new ordinance takes steps to protect the identity of officers, he said. "It is codified in the council-approved ordinance that any and all contractually protected officer information shall not be released through this process.
"In fact, whether the release of video would violate the collective bargaining agreement, per the ordinance, is the first question that must be answered," in the court case.
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