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A bill aimed at lifting the shroud of secrecy covering police surveillance tools and their role in investigations of Maine citizens advanced Monday after members of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee overwhelmingly recommended passage.
Rep. Charlotte Warren, D-Hallowell, introduced the measure about a year ago after the Maine Sunday Telegram reported on Feb. 9, 2020, that state police are relying on a provision in Maine law to withhold information about whether they are using technologies capable of mass surveillance of citizens.
Warren’s bill was delayed for a year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after it was proposed, Maine’s public safety commissioner, Michael Sauschuck, acknowledged for the first time that state police use facial recognition scans as part of some criminal investigations, but did not provide written policies or details about how the technology is used.
Maine’s Police Surveillance-Tech Transparency Bill Advances
The state bill would still allow police agencies to keep sensitive investigation information secret, but it would require them to release information about the type, cost and protection protocols of technology usage.
April 27, 2021 • (TNS) A bill aimed at lifting the shroud of secrecy covering police surveillance tools and their role in investigations of Maine citizens advanced Monday after members of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee overwhelmingly recommended passage.
Rep. Charlotte Warren, D- Hallowell, introduced the measure about a year ago after the Maine Sunday Telegram reported on Feb. 9, 2020, that state police are relying on a provision in Maine law to withhold information about whether they are using technologies capable of mass surveillance of citizens.
Maine police voice support but raise questions about racial data collection bill
The measure aims to provide data on traffic stops that would help to identify and prevent patterns of racial profiling.
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Police agencies from across Maine took largely neutral positions Thursday on a bill that would require them to collect demographic information on all traffic stops in an effort to identify and root out racial or biased-based profiling.
But several law enforcement members raised concerns about the feasibility of collecting accurate data.
Maine State Police Maj. Brian Scott and Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton were among several law enforcement officers offering testimony to the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.
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Police agencies from across Maine took largely neutral positions Thursday on a bill that would require them to collect demographic information on all traffic stops in an effort to identify and root out racial or biased-based profiling.
But several law enforcement members raised concerns about the feasibility of collecting accurate data.
Maine State Police Maj. Brian Scott and Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton were among several law enforcement officers offering testimony to the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.
Both Scott and Morton said their agencies support efforts to eliminate the profiling that has become increasingly apparent in Maine and across the nation in recent years.
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BANGOR, Maine 05/15/2020 Penobscot County voters will be asked in July to approve a $6 million bond package to upgrade equipment used by the Penobscot Regional Communication Center to dispatch first responders.
BANGOR, Maine 05/15/2020 Penobscot County voters will be asked in July to approve a $6 million bond package to upgrade equipment used by the Penobscot Regional Communication Center to dispatch first responders.
Maine sheriffs are working to improve our practices, transparency and outreach Contributed • January 22, 2021
By Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton
If you live in a rural area of Maine, most likely, your neighbors, family and community are the most important part of your lives. According to the 2010 census, more than half of Maine is considered rural, which gives Maine the feel of being one big community.