An Act To Require Recording of Interviews of Suspects

Sec. 1. 15 MRSA §458  is enacted to read:

§ 458.  Recording of suspect interviews

Any questioning of a person by a law enforcement officer as defined in Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 17 who is in custody or otherwise deprived of freedom of action in any significant way must be recorded upon a sound recording device whenever feasible and in any case where questioning occurs at a place of detention.

summary

Current law requires that law enforcement agencies only adopt written policies for the recording of interviews of suspects of serious crimes. This bill requires law enforcement officers to record interviews of suspects in custody or otherwise deprived of freedom of action in any significant way whenever feasible and always where questioning occurs at a place of detention.