The Idaho Supreme Court has ordered the Ada County Sheriff's Office to release portions of body camera footage from the 2024 shooting that killed Deputy Tobin Bolter during a traffic stop in Boise, while shielding the segment showing first responders trying to save his life.
A Records Fight That Reached the State's Highest Court
According to Boise State Public Radio, the case began after a local citizen filed a public records request for Bolter's body camera footage, which the sheriff's office denied. That denial prompted Garth Gaylord to sue in civil court, arguing that releasing the footage could contribute to public understanding of government operations and police work. Gaylord also said Sheriff Matt Clifford may be hiding something.
A district court judge reviewed the footage personally and ruled the video must be made public, finding that release would not invade the privacy of Bolter's surviving family. Clifford appealed that ruling, and his attorney argued the entire recording should not be considered public because Bolter ceased to be a public employee the moment he was shot, describing him instead as a patient and, ultimately, a murder victim.
What the Supreme Court Decided
The Idaho Supreme Court unanimously disagreed with that argument, finding the recording is a public record because Bolter was on duty at the time and that the footage contains information relating to government employees' job performance. The 13-minute recording will not be released in full, however. Justices authorized release of the first 37 seconds, covering the initial traffic stop up to the gunshot, along with the final few minutes recorded after the body camera had been removed from Bolter's uniform.
The portion in between — showing law enforcement and a bystander rendering aid — will stay private at the request of Bolter's widow. The district court judge said the footage does not show Bolter's injuries, does not carry his audible voice, and does not impugn his character in any way. Even so, justices said the family retains a limited privacy interest in the segment capturing the moment he was shot, and that the withheld section does not depict the impact of the shooting on Bolter or his suffering.
Comparisons to Another Boise-Area Release
Boise has weighed these same transparency questions before. In November 2024, the Idaho Statesman reported that minutes of body-camera and drone footage tied to the fatal shooting of Dennis Mulqueen were released by the Boise Police Department, offering new insight into that incident.
Remembering Deputy Bolter
A temporary memorial for Bolter sits in front of the Ada County Sheriff's Office at 7200 W. Barrister Dr. in Boise, and the Star, Kuna and Eagle police substations each have dedicated memorial spots as well. The Boise State Public Radio report on the ruling was written by James Dawson.
