I would like to thank you for answering my concern. I agree totally that there are legitimate reasons for using the technology but there is a massive amount of abuse possible. I am not in anyway trying to insinuate this is going on in BPD and a response as fast as yours reassures me greatly.

I am also glad to see that you keep abreast of formats such as this. For those of us who are “skeptical” to say the least of LE’s regard for citizen concerns it is very refreshing to be able to have a dialog in an open and honest format.

I agree with setting the rules. While I want to utilize technology to the fullest extent possible in the 8 hours i perform this job; the other 16 hours i spend as a regular citizen i dont want an overbearing , intrusive government in my personal life. There needs to be rules and if police agencies using this technology can’t police themselves then someone else will…be it Congress or the courts. Hope that helps.

Here is the full URL http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/aclu-finds-license-plate-scanners-on-the-rise-creating-de-facto-government-tracking-system/2013/07/17/9fda2a8a-eee9-11e2-bb32-725c8351a69e_story.html

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/215707711.html

I am not disputing policy I am simply relaying what Det. Albanese told us in the Intro to Policing class he taught on Gowen in 2011. He may have been mistaken and quoted procedures in place when he worked for LAPD.

EDITOR NOTE–I trust the officer has now been informed of the “facts, just the facts sir,” as another LAPD copper of TV fame used to say.

Our recording policy is presumed to be face to face, in person so cell phone calls generally are not recorded. (We dont provide the equipment to do so)except for sgts on their desk lines for conversations with complainants etc. We generally dont see disputes with victim statements as we are driving to calls but when dealing with complainants it’s another matter. It’s a fact, digital audio recordings do tend to exonerate officers in the overwhelming majority of times.

As for the future of the Ombudsman, that decision will be with elected officials with many of the comments offered by readers pro and con,being taken into account. Hope this information helps.

EDITOR NOTE–HEre is a timely news report from Detroit. http://www.policeone.com/officer-misconduct-internal-affairs/articles/6324906-Detroit-IA-unit-investigating-arrest-of-photographer/

EDITOR NOTE–Not speaking on behalf of the department, but the general rule is you can make photos or videos as long as you don’t interfere with or obstruct the coppers doing their job.

What do you think of the Murphy replacement situation?

And do you think we’ll ever be able to access the NSA recordings of all communications for criminal cases?

Also, are the cell phone coversations, which have become the officer’s primary link to the public and often other officers,… are these cell phone calls also recorded?

Prior to 2003, Recordings were on “micro-cassette” tapes. Unless they were crimes I doubt any of the tapes are still around.

More info on Department policies available to our citizens at:http://police.cityofboise.org/media/469928/may_2013_bpd_policy_manual_final_redactions_public.pdf