Bill would require taping of interrogations by police
Supporters and opponents of a bill that would require law enforcement officers to record interrogations made their case before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
This is the second effort by Rep. Margarett Campbell, D-Poplar, to pass a bill that she says would help insulate law enforcement officers from accusations of coercion or abuse while also protecting the rights of innocent Montanans.
A similar bill died in committee last session, primarily because of the concerns of law enforcement officials who argued that the bill's language was too broad and the measure would have burdened investigators in rural communities.
Campbell said her new bill, House Bill 534, addresses those concerns.
"There was a lot of dialogue with law enforcement to make it a more balanced bill, one that would be equally good for prosecutors as it would defenders," Campbell said after the hearing. "I think this bill provides a perfect balance. It's a bill that creates a lot of transparency. It provides the protection that law enforcement needs against false accusations of police brutality and false confessions, and it protects defendants if something were to happen."
The Montana Association of Counties, the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, and the Montana County Attorneys Association testified against the measure.
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