Surreptitous Workplace Recording: 2-Party Law Drops Cop

MD - A Baltimore City police officer has agreed to resign his post so charges against him in an illegal phone recording case will be dropped. 

Sgt. Carlos Vila was indicted in August 2012 under the state's wiretapping law after he was accused of illegally recording Baltimore Judge Joan Gordon, who sits in the city's Eastside District Court. Officials said in April 2012, Vila used his cellphone to record an argument he had with Gordon about a warrant.

Aside from the wiretapping charge, Vila was also charged with playing the recordings for his colleagues. Both charges are felonies. (more)

Maryland law requires all parties consent to being recorded. Federal law, which is followed by most states, only requires one party to consent. 

Had this happened in a workplace, in a one-party consent state, the outcome would have been much different.

Corporate Security Directors: If you still don't have a written Covert Recording in the Workplace Policy, call me. You need one. I will help you get started. No charge. No obligation. Not having one leaves you open to a multitude of problems.