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Residents tell Rapid City Council body cameras have been muted; speakers call for accountability
Summary
Two residents told the council they believe Rapid City Police officers have been allowed to mute or turn off body cameras during public interactions and raised concerns about delayed use‑of‑force reporting and missing footage; council took no formal action during public comment.
At the start of Monday’s Rapid City Council meeting two residents used the public‑comment period to say Rapid City Police officers have been permitted to mute or turn off body cameras during some responses and that the city needs to hold law enforcement accountable.
Andrew Ironshell identified himself as a community member and asked the council to meet with him and his colleagues to discuss “what my sense of accountability looks like in this community.” He said he was speaking “for those that don’t have a voice.”
James Biollotta urged the council to act, saying he recently learned, he said, law enforcement has been allowed to mute and turn off body cameras during calls and interactions with the public. “Why is this significant? … One of those body cams is missing,” Biollotta said. “How dare you. And what happened to the officer? Oh, he’s resigned with no report.”
Biollotta further asserted that department procedures permit delayed reporting and that the Rapid City Police manual requires a use‑of‑force report after any action beyond verbal contact. He said a retired Rapid City homicide detective told him such reports should be completed by the end of the officer’s shift, and that a nine‑month delay in filing a report he referenced was inappropriate. “You are negligent and there is no immunity for elected officials on negligence,” Biollotta said.
Mayor Jason Solomon — who presided over the meeting’s public comment period — briefly responded after the comments by offering a remark in defense of the department. “They have excellent folks working for them,” he said, and added that department policies and procedures exist and are followed, while also saying the matter could be handled in other forums.
The council did not take action during public comment. No council resolution, referral or staff direction was announced at the meeting related to the body‑camera allegations. Speakers asked that the mayor and council follow up; the transcript records no formal staff assignment or timeline from the dais.
Motion/Action: none (public comment).
