Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lieutenant reports steady public safety; says video releases have reduced complaints
Summary
The town lieutenant reported routine call volumes with a summertime uptick and discussed a recent fatal crash; he told the council that releasing police videos can reduce complaints and should be balanced with investigative needs.
The town lieutenant told the council that overall public safety is ‘‘status quo’’ with no sustained crime spike, though calls for service increase in summer and deputy availability can be affected. He gave a brief update on a recent crash that resulted in one death and described the preliminary investigation as indicating the driver may have been at fault.
On the subject of law-enforcement video, the lieutenant said the department has generally had a positive response when videos are shared and that transparency has reduced complaints: “when your law enforcement personnel are doing the right things for the right reasons, there's no reason to ever hold that video...,” he said, adding that videos should not be released if they would hinder an investigation.
