Metro

Commish Ray Kelly talks highly of videotaped interrogations

Commissioner Ray Kelly painted a rosy picture for the department’s pilot program to videotape interrogations of felony crimes during his State of the NYPD 2013 address today at the Waldorf-Astoria in Midtown.

”After running a pilot program in five precincts, we found that the system was not only manageable logistically, but that the performance of our detectives was such that we expect there will be little if no downside for the prosecution,” Kelly said.

The city’s top cop pointed out that none of the 300 cases in the program, including murders, sex crimes and felony assaults, resulted in the defense asking for a jury trial.

”In fact, they were often eager to enter a plea once they saw the video recording of the jury trial,” said Kelly, who first announced the program last year.

But Kelly noted that, in one case, a defense attorney claimed that the defendant “was unlawfully intimidated in the interrogation” and requested that the confession be tossed out.

However, the judge viewed the interrogation and “ruled in our favor,” Kelly said.

Kelly also highlighted the “complicated logistics involved” in making the interrogation rooms sound proof, well lit and secure in the police precincts.

The Police Foundation has already raised $1 million to equip 23 of the commands.