State's Largest Law Enforcement Association Praises Passage of Police Recordings Law | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Raleigh, N.C.     The North Carolina Police Benevolent Association is applauding new legislation recently signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory that promotes transparency while protecting law enforcement officers, victims and the community.

• This new law provides important and uniform guidelines that will provide transparency and accountability while ensuring the protection of witnesses, victims, suspects and all citizens as required pursuant to the rule of law.
• This association is puzzled at the reactions of detractors to the law, especially from an organization such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that espouse a long standing record of protecting the fundamental rights of our citizens.
• According to NCPBA Division President Randy Byrd, "This new law strikes a balance between the public's right to know and the sworn duty of our officers to protect the interests of all citizens we serve." PBA's Executive Director John Midgette says, "Law enforcement has a responsibility to discern the difference between information and evidence. This new law provides for the proper and lawful adjudication of that responsibility."
• As new technologies continue to advance, we must have laws that keep up with these advancements so as to not compromise the law enforcement mission to serve and protect our citizens. "This new law is a positive step in that direction," Midgette added.

    You can read the entire NCPBA press release here.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov