10 body-worn camera programs: How do they compare?

As citizens demand greater accountability from law enforcement in the wake of recent high-profile officer-involved shootings, body camera rollout has become a high priority for police departments around the country. Departments have developed their body camera programs to varying degrees, with four out of the ten largest forces set to outfit most or all of their sworn officers with cameras in the next year.

The issue of public access to footage is a pertinent issue. Most policies on public access are somewhat vague, addressing public record requests briefly, if at all, and rarely mentioning media access. The Los Angeles Police Department recently drew headlines with the announcement by the city's independent Police Commission that public access restrictions would be reviewed over the coming year and likely rolled back. Departments must balance the risk of drawing negative or skewed coverage with establishing public trust.

The ten police departments with the largest number of sworn officers in the U.S. are in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Houston, the District of Columbia, Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Baltimore. Click here for a chart comparing current body camera statistics and policies on public access for each police department. Below is a written summary of policies.

Note: This post is a summary of current body camera policies and is by no means comprehensive. Full policies, if readily accessible, are linked to department names.

1) NYPD New York City Police Department

The NYPD, in conjunction with NYU School of Law, has developed a proposed policy for a one-year body camera pilot program. A summary of the proposed policy is available, but the full policy is not readily available on the NYPD’s website.
Under the proposed policy, officers will be required to turn on their body cameras before responding to a crime in progress; arresting, summoning or searching people and property; transporting anyone in police custody; using force; when patrolling inside New York public housing or in buildings enrolled in the Trespass Affidavit Program (which allows police to regularly patrol buildings in response to tenants’ complaints about drug dealing and prostitution); or when interacting with someone who “may be experiencing an emotional disturbance.”
Members of the public will be able request video under the Freedom of Information Law, and will generally be able to view footage before lodging a formal complaint against an officer—unless the video captures evidence related to a criminal case, in which case police will refer the request to the prosecutor’s office.
In the case of high-profile incidents such as officer-involved shootings, the NYPD will work with the Attorney General or District Attorney to determine whether footage can be made public “without harming a criminal investigation or interfering with a person’s right to a fair trial.”

2) Chicago Police Department

Officers are required to turn on their body cameras before routine calls for service, any investigatory stops or traffic stops, when "fleeing suspects or vehicles may be captured on video leaving the crime scene,” “high-risk situations” including search warrants, foot and vehicle pursuits, traffic control, “emergency driving situations,” and encounters with the public that become “adversarial.”
The department policy also states officers must turn on body cameras in “any other instance when enforcing the law.” However, the policy does not explicitly require officers to turn on cameras before transporting prisoners or passengers, or before interviewing witnesses and victims.
When access to recordings is inquired of, the Records Division of the police department will produce the vehicle “as necessary.” Policy states that “all applicable laws…will be followed when an FOIA request is made.”

3) LAPD: The Los Angeles Police Department

The Los Angeles Police Commission will review department policy on body cameras, and plans to roll back policies prohibiting the release of footage to the public.
Current policy requires officers to turn on cameras before calls for service, vehicle and pedestrian stops, arrests, searches, transports of people in custody, interviews of victims and witnesses, foot pursuits, some vehicle pursuits, uses of force, and crowd management and control.
Body camera footage can only be released in the case of “enforcement and investigative activities involving members of the public.”
The LAPD’s current policy does not address the public release of video at all—not even in regards to public records requests.

4) Philadelphia Police Department

Officers are required to turn on their body cameras before responding to crimes in progress or on high-priority assignments; when initiating investigations of vehicles or pedestrians; when confronted by an “antagonistic or hostile” citizen; when initiating an arrest or citation; when interviewing witnesses or victims; when handling a “disturbance or crisis-related incident,” protest or demonstration; when confronting suspects; and when engaging in any pursuit.
The department policy does not explicitly require officers to turn on their body cameras before transporting prisoners or passengers.
Temporary access to body camera footage may be granted to certain government agencies in the case of prosecution or legal defense “arising from an incident in which a body camera was utilized.”
Public records requests will be coordinated by police department personnel: The Digital Evidence Custodian and the department’s Right-to-Know officer.
The police commissioner or a designee can release recordings to the media and/or on social media outlets if there is a “legitimate law enforcement need.”

5) Houston Police Department

Officers are required to turn on their body cameras before arriving on scene for any call, “self-initiating” law enforcement activity, initiating a traffic or pedestrian stop, responding to a citizen who “flags them down,” attempting to detain or arrest, conducting a search, transporting prisoners or passengers, interviewing witnesses or complaints, and engaging in any pursuit, either on foot or by vehicle.
Recordings can only be released for court or other official proceedings.
Requests for copies or viewing of video should be addressed to the Office of Public Affairs.
Recordings and documentation of an incident involving officer use of deadly force, and/or recordings related to criminal investigation of an officer, may not be released to the public until “all criminal matters have been finally adjudicated.”

6) Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.)

The online policy does not specify the occasions when officers should turn on their body cameras.
The department has proposed restricting access to footage currently available under the FOIA. Prosecutors have unlimited access to all videos, involved parties have restricted access to the specific case (with redactions, if they are deemed necessary) and “various parties for matters of great public interest” also have restricted access to the specific case with any necessary redactions.
Under the FOIA exemption, media organizations cannot request videos from the police department, but “if an involved party wishes to share a video with the press, he or she will be able to.”

7) Dallas Police Department

Officers must turn on their cameras before arriving on scene for any call, traffic and pedestrian stops (before exiting the police vehicle), planned or anticipated arrests, executing search warrants or requesting and conducting consensual searches, pursuits on foot or by vehicle, inventorying seized narcotics or money, and conducting sobriety tests.
The department policy does not explicitly require officers to turn on their body cameras before transporting prisoners or passengers.
Public Information Act requests for access to footage will be handled in accordance with the Texas Governmental Code and “departmental procedures.”
“The Open Records/Records Management Unit will set charges for duplications of videos for Public Information Act requests.”

8) Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Officers must activate cameras before calls for service involving contact with citizens; vehicle and pedestrian stops; arrests and interrogations; searches of people, structures and vehicles; citizen contact that becomes “adversarial;” transporting Code 5 prisoners; pursuits; and as soon as possible after officer-involved traffic accidents.
Those requesting access to footage must fill out a request form and submit it by email or in person, or leave a voicemail. Requests must be limited to a specific incident.
Recordings that are being used as evidence in an investigation, judicial or administrative proceeding are not public records until the process has ended, or until the evidence is submitted in a public forum.
Policy states that in general, “media will be granted inspection rights in a timely manner if the recording is not otherwise confidential by law.”
The department will contact involved citizens, media and the general public around five days after a request has been submitted to arrange an appointment for viewing the requested recording at police headquarters. After viewing the recording, they can request a copy if desired, which may include redactions and come with a processing fee.

9) Phoenix Police Department

Officers should activate their body cameras before “all investigative or enforcement contacts,” including radio calls for service, emergency responses, “on-view events requiring enforcement,” vehicle and pedestrian stops, vehicle and foot pursuits, suspect and witness statements/interviews, and “consensual encounters that are investigative in nature.”
The department policy does not explicitly require officers to turn on their body cameras before transporting prisoners or passengers.
The department will release video requested through a public records request “in accordance with existing policy and public records laws.”
Citizens cannot view the footage unless there is an “investigative reason to do so.”
Officers and supervisors cannot view footage in the case of a “serious incident” such as an officer-involved shooting until the team responsible for conducting the investigation arrives on scene.

10) Baltimore Police Department (Phoenix ranks seventh if support personnel are included)

Officers should activate their body cameras before calls for service, any encounter that is investigative or enforcement-related, and any encounter with the public that becomes confrontational. Other specifics are not provided.
Police officers, the Professional Development and Training Academy, members of the State’s (or United States’) Attorney’s Office, and Legal Affairs can view or copy footage if the Body Worn Cameras Coordinator approves their request.
Members of the public can request to view or copy body camera footage by emailing a request form to the department. The department grants or denies requests in accordance with the Maryland Public Information Act.
Footage may not be shared with members of the media without the approval of the police commissioner or a designee.

Note: There are exceptions to all body camera policies; for example, an officer may be allowed to use his own discretion whether to turn off a camera before, for example, interviewing a victim who has been sexually abused.