Bill Would Let Victims, Witnesses Block Body Camera Releases

Republican lawmakers are circulating a bill that would allow crime victims, witnesses and property owners to block the public release of police body camera footage.

The bill also would exempt any footage not related to an injury, death, arrest or search from Wisconsin’s open records law.

Rep. Jesse Kremer and Sen. Patrick Testin wrote in a memo seeking co-sponsors that technological advances are welcome but they also create a decay of public privacy. They wrote they want to send a strong message that people have an expectation of privacy and they want to prevent situations where victims and witnesses become a “target” of a YouTube video or the media.

Spokeswomen for Republican Assembly and Senate leaders didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the bill’s prospects.