The New Jersey court presented a clear affirmation of transparency as a basic principle that need not be secondary to the need to protect potential criminal evidence, which the police cite in keeping video recordings secret. “Non-disclosure of dash-cam videos can undermine confidence in law enforcement,” Chief Justice Stuart Rabner declared in the ruling, which was unanimous. “It can also fuel the perception that information is being concealed,” he noted. The court ruled for the North Jersey Media Group, which sued after reporters were rebuffed in their request for information, including video, concerning a 2014 police shooting. The court also ruled that law enforcement agencies must release the names of officers involved in fatal shootings.

Tragic experience across America is proving body and dash cams can be very useful. But they must be properly regulated and not left solely in the control of secrecy-minded police departments, as is now often the case. The issue can be complex, but there are workable ways to deal with questions about when cameras should be turned on and off, for example, and how to protect the rights and privacy of individuals seen or heard on the videos.

New regulations weighted to favor the police will only invite more controversial incidents and suspicious obfuscation. It is a positive sign that lawmakers have lately been opting for pilot programs and study groups rather than rushing into enactment of regulations, according to the Urban Institute. There may be no holding back on the general advance of technology, but human rights and public transparency must not be sacrificed in the process.