Boise Police chief weighs the release of body cam footage more quickly in shootings

In the wake of a series of police shootings and subsequent protests in Boise and the greater Treasure Valley, the city of Boise’s top law enforcement officer is thinking about at least one change in how promptly information is disseminated.

Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee said during a media roundtable meeting Thursday that the department is “having conversations” about publishing body camera footage from police shootings more quickly.

“I personally would like to try and find a way” to have the body cam footage released to the public sooner, Lee said. “But again, working with the prosecutor and investigative agencies’ desires and wishes, there is some constraint there.”

Lee pointed out that there are many stakeholders who must be on board to make that change.

When a law enforcement officer in Ada County shoots someone, the incident is investigated by the Critical Incident Task Force, which is made up of the police forces in the county, and could include the Idaho State Police. The lead agency for each investigation is decided on a rotating basis, and ultimately the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office is involved as well.

Though body camera footage largely gives an unbiased view of the events, Lee said it’s important to remember that the recording cannot show how an officer is perceiving a situation.

Lee’s comments at the meeting follow a series of police shootings that have taken place in Ada and Canyon counties this summer. The latest was fatal, as at least one officer in Nampa shot and killed 51-year-old Dawn Simpson after she allegedly fired a gun at police.

The Boise Police Department has been involved in three shootings, the most recent of which involved a fatality. Forrest Moore, 31, was approached by officers and produced a weapon that turned out to be a BB gun. He was fatally shot.

The shooting of 33-year-old Boise man Mohamud Mkoma has drawn community ire and sparked calls for increased transparency.

Mkoma’s family members have decried the police officers’ actions and the department’s public response, claiming that BPD released false information about Mkoma — a Black African man — and the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Mkoma was later charged with numerous felonies, including lewd conduct with a child and aggravated battery.

His family has specifically demanded for police to release body camera footage of the shooting, which the department has not done.

On Thursday, Lee said there’s just no quick way to make the change toward releasing body camera footage in a more timely fashion, because many parties need to approve the idea. But he is ready to explore it.

“I have to weigh the investigative and prosecutorial concerns and wishes in making that decision. It’s not one that I can unilaterally make,” Lee said.