TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Federal jurors have decided that the city of Puyallup, Washington, didn’t violate the privacy rights of people arrested for investigation of DUI by using video cameras to monitor holding cells at the city jail.
The News Tribune reports that 11 women and one man sued the city last year, contending their privacy rights were violated. The cameras recorded them using the toilet or changing clothes after they’d been booked for investigation of the misdemeanor offense.
Lawyer Lincoln Beauregard sought $100,000 for each client. The jury returned its verdict Thursday.
The city said the cameras were necessary, both for inmate safety and to protect jailers from false claims of misconduct.
Puyallup officials have changed the jail camera policy, including turning some off and blurring out spots where someone might be recorded using the toilet.
Police Capt. Scott Engle says the changes were made so the city would not be put in the position of releasing potentially embarrassing inmate videos under future public records requests.
