Taser and Body Camera Use and Data Retention Policies

Dear Mr. Davis:

This is an acknowledgement of your request below, for public information, submitted to the Document Compliance Unit (“DCU”) of the Baltimore Police Department (“BPD”). Your request is governed by the Maryland Public Information Act (“PIA”), Maryland Code, General Provisions Article (“GP”), Sections 4-101 et seq. DCU will process your request promptly. However, our response may take longer than ten (10) working days, the reasons for which may include the scope of your request, the type and volume of potentially responsive records, and the nature of the search, review, and preparation that is required. In any event, DCU will respond to your request within thirty (30) days. GP § 4-203.

DCU will contact you with the availability of records and the possible costs associated with this request, as soon as the information is made available by the Custodian of Records. Likewise, if DCU and/or the Custodian of Records need you to clarify your request, DCU will contact you promptly.

Please refer to tracking # MPIA 18-0549 in any subsequent correspondence pertaining to this matter. All follow up correspondence should be made in writing and submitted to the DCU’s e-mail: DCU@baltimorepolice.org<mailto:DCU@baltimorepolice.org>.

Sincerely,

P/O Shawn Baker I259

Document Compliance Unit

Legal Affairs Division

Baltimore Police Department

100 N. Holiday Street, Room 100

Baltimore, MD 21202

Email: DCU@baltimorepolice.org<mailto:DCU@baltimorepolice.org>

MPIA request forms: https://law.baltimorecity.gov/office-legal-affairs-baltimore-police-department

Dear Mr. Davis:
On May 12, 2018 you submitted a request for public records to the Document Compliance Unit (“DCU”) of the Baltimore Police Department (“BPD”), for, “Taser and Body Camera Use and Data Retention Policies.” The Maryland Public Information Act (“PIA”), Annotated Code of Maryland, General Provisions Article, § 4-101, et seq. governs your request.
The responsive record(s) are maintained by the IT Section and Armory Unit of BPD. To this end, please find the requested policies attached. This record was provided by the DCU and custodians as responsive to your request. Additionally, some of the requested information is not stated in the policies but have been answered by the custodians below:
The TASER CEW can store up to 16,000 events (trigger pulls, spark test, turning unit on & off etc., on its internal memory. Any records that are downloaded from the CEW onto www.evidence.com can be stored indefinitely.

The stated retention policy for BWC video is based on category . The categories that have 4 years retention duration are:

Accidental Recording
Arrest / Must Appear
Call for Service
Car Stops
Self-Initiated
Training

The following BWC video categories are retained until manually deleted:

Uncategorized
Crime Lab
Pending Review

Nothing in this response is intended to indicate that any records sought from the BPD exist or to waive any privileges held by the BPD. You have the right under PIA § 4-1B-04 to contact the Public Access Ombudsman to mediate any dispute(s) you may have with this response. You may also, contest this response by filing a petition for Judicial Review in Circuit Court pursuant to PIA § 4-362. Please refer to MPIA tracking # 18-0549 in any subsequent correspondence pertaining to this matter.

Respectfully,

P/O Shawn Baker I259
Baltimore Police Department
Document Compliance Unit
Legal Affairs Division
100 N. Holiday St., Room 100
Baltimore, MD 21202
DCU@baltimorepolice.org<mailto:DCU@baltimorepolice.org>
Baltimore Police Department Policies
https://www.baltimorepolice.org/transparency/policies
MPIA Request Forms
http://law.baltimorecity.gov/office-legal-affairs-baltimore-police-department

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