In light of the NYS legislature adopting legislation which amends the Public Officers Law prohibiting release and disclosure of law enforcement booking information and photographs, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office shall adhere to the following guidelines:
The presumption shall be not to release booking photos (mugshots).
The photos can be released if such release will serve a specific law enforcement purpose and such release is not precluded by any State or Federal laws.
Such instances of serving a law enforcement purpose include, but are not limited to the following:
Pattern burglaries
Sex crimes
Crimes against children
Identity theft
Domestic violence cases
Criminal sale of narcotics
Crimes against the elderly or special needs victims
This protocol is to prevent unwarranted invasions of privacy while enhancing public safety by alerting victims and seeking witnesses to come forward to aid in criminal investigations.
