RENO, Nev. (AP) — A sheriff in Washoe County has asked that county's Board of Commissioners to not consider a proposal to charge a fee for providing body-worn camera footage to the public.
Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam originally recommended charging a fee for the redaction process, including $50 for every 15 minutes of body cam footage or $200 for every hour.
Currently, the public can view body-worn camera, in-car dash camera, and Washoe County Detention Facility video footage at no cost in a private video viewing room at the sheriff’s office.
Balaam announced Monday that he is no longer recommending the fee, citing concerns from the public.
“It is not the intent of my office to reduce or deteriorate the transparency, trust and accountability the sheriff’s office has built with the community we serve,” Balaam said.
The Las Vegas Metro police department implemented a $280 an hour fee for body-worn camera footage earlier this year, sparking criticism from open government groups across the state.
The proposed fee in Washoe County also drew criticism as the Nevada Open Government Coalition and the Reno Gazette Journal co-signed an open letter opposing the fees.
“At a moment when citizens are demanding transparency about policing and its impacts on minority and underprivileged people, elected officials should be limiting barriers to public information about law enforcement, not raising them,” the letter read.