ROCHESTER, N.Y. — New York Attorney General Letitia James is promising to expedite the release of body camera footage in cases of alleged police misconduct that her office investigates.
James spoke Sunday in Rochester, which has been in turmoil since the footage of Daniel Prude’s fatal encounter with police was released more than five months after his death.
James said her office “will be proactively releasing footage to the public on our own.”
It's unclear how many cases will be affected by the policy, since the attorney general’s office does not review all footage of police interactions with the public.
The move comes after a months-long delay in the release of videos connected to the March encounter between Rochester Police and Prude.
When the videos were released earlier this month, by Prude's family, they prompted massive protests.
This new policy applies to allegations of police misconduct being investigated by the state.
"Up until now, the release of footage has been up to the discretion of local authorities," James said. "But this process has caused confusion, delays, and has hampered transparency in a system that should be as open as possible."
2 On Your Side reached out to the Buffalo Police Department and the city for comment on Sunday evening and did not immediately get a response.
