New Mexico considers limiting access to police lapel video

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico lawmakers are drafting legislation that would restrict public access to video recordings from police lapel cameras of people with mental illnesses. Rep. Gail Chasey of Albuquerque said Thursday that the public availability of video recordings taken by police can discourage people from calling emergency services or interfere with the work of mental health crisis teams as frightened patients hold back information. She supports changes to the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act to prevent the release of audio, video and photographic recordings of people with a mental illness without consent. Rep. Jim Dines of Albuquerque cautions that broadly written legislation might interfere with public oversight of police. He invoked the fatal 2014 shooting by Albuquerque police officers of homeless man James Boyd that triggered public protests.