At least 1,201 people were killed in 2022 by law enforcement officers, about 100 deaths a month, according to Mapping Police Violence, a nonprofit research group that tracks police killings. ProPublica examined the 101 deaths that occurred in June 2022, a time frame chosen because enough time had elapsed that investigations could reasonably be expected to have concluded. The cases involved 131 law enforcement agencies in 34 states.

In 79 of those deaths, ProPublica confirmed that body-worn camera video exists. But more than a year later, authorities or victims’ families had released the footage of only 33 incidents.

Philadelphia signed a $12.5 million contract in 2017 to equip its entire police force with cameras. Since then, at least 27 people have been killed by Philadelphia police, according to Mapping Police Violence, but in only two cases has body-camera video been released to the public.

ProPublica’s review shows that withholding body-worn camera footage from the public has become so entrenched in some cities that even pleas from victims’ families don’t serve to shake the video loose.

      • GreenM@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        So many yt channels gotta be buried. Kinda hard to understand why creators would keep doing that, right?

        • wildcardology@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Because the footage those auditors have are just 1st amendment other rights violations.

          There are worst things the police want buried.

    • hex_m_hell@slrpnk.net
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      1 year ago

      Depends on your location. Washington has some of the best public records laws in the country. SPD releases all body cam footage when their officers kill someone. Unfortunately it’s deceptively edited and when you request the full footage it takes about 2 years where they tell you every month they’re delaying because of Covid or something.

      Police will hide as long as possible and destroy evidence when they can get away with it. SPD has been sued for deleting vehicle footage after public records requests for the footage. Now they just edit the footage to look like there’s nothing to see and hope no one requests the full videos.