400-28 Body Worn Cameras

Question 1

The Houston Police Department shall utilize body worn cameras to assist the department in efforts to…

Answer 1

enhance police professionalism, improve transparency, and preserve recordings of officers’ interactions with the public.

Question 2

Body worn cameras have the potential to…

Answer 2

improve community relations, strengthen public trust in law enforcement, reduce the number of complaints, resolve allegations of officer misconduct, increase department accountability, and improve officer training and evaluation.

Question 3

All on-duty uniformed officers below the rank of _____ in patrol or any other assignment potentially requiring _____shall wear and activate a body worn camera as described in this General Order. Plainclothes officers and officers working extra employment shall wear and activate body worn cameras as outlined in this General Order.

Answer 3

1) lieutenant

2) interaction with the public

Question 4

INTEGRITY OF VIDEO RECORDINGS

The use of any body worn camera (BWC) not issued by the department is prohibited unless _____.

All digital recordings from any BWC shall be used for only _____and are the property of the Houston Police Department. Employees shall not erase, alter, copy, or tamper with any department video or audio recording or equipment unless otherwise authorized by this General Order, the Chief of Police, or a court of law.

Answer 4

1) approved by the Chief of Police

2) official law enforcement purposes

Question 5

INTEGRITY OF VIDEO RECORDINGS

To maintain the integrity of evidence and ensure accountability in police operations, departmental personnel shall utilize only the authorized _____ for digital evidence collected or maintained by the department.

VEMS shall be managed and maintained by the _____as directed by the Chief of Police. The use of any other video systems is prohibited unless approved by the Chief of Police.

Answer 5

1) Video Evidence Management System (VEMS)

2) HPD Office of Technology Services

Question 6

INTEGRITY OF VIDEO RECORDINGS

All audio and video footage captured by a BWC of a law enforcement activity shall be treated as _____and will only be purged or altered as permitted by law and policy by the _____.

Answer 6

1) evidence

2) Office of Technology Services

Question 7

BODY WORN CAMERA EQUIPMENT

The BWC shall either be affixed to the _____. The positioning of the BWC will enable the BWC to capture the best recording possible of the officer’s scene and interactions with persons on that scene.

It is the _____ responsibility to ensure that the BWC is properly affixed to their uniform, eyeglasses, or helmet so that no obstructions interfere with proper recording.

Unless authorized by the _____, employees shall not disassemble the camera or attempt to access the internal storage, files, programs, or configuration of the BWCs wirelessly or by direct connection.

Answer 7

1) front of each officer’s uniform above the horizontal midline of the torso, eyeglasses, or the side or top of the officer’s ballistic helmet
2) officer’s
3) Chief of Police

Question 8

TRAINING FOR BODY WORN CAMERA USE

Prior to using BWC equipment, officers shall be trained in the operation of the BWC equipment.

_____ shall ensure that all officers under their command who are required to use a BWC are trained in the proper use of the BWC in accordance with current departmental policy.

Unless exigent circumstances exist, _____ shall not be permitted to be in the call for service loop without a BWC. Exceptions must be approved by a _____or higher.

Answer 8

1) Shift commanders
2) officers and sergeants
3) lieutenant

Question 9

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC has three modes: ___, ___ and ____. Normally, while performing routine matters and prior to participating in any law enforcement activities, officers shall keep the BWC in Standby Mode, ready to record.

Officers shall place the BWC in Activate Mode to record _____ regardless of dispatch status.

Answer 9

1) Off, Standby, and Activate

2) all law enforcement activities

Question 10

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC shall be activated as follows:

a. Priority One or Two call for service. Activate upon _____ regardless of dispatch status.

Answer 10

being dispatched or when driving to the call

Question 11

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC shall be activated as follows:

b. Any other call for service. If a vehicle is being used, activate prior to _____. If a vehicle is not being used, activate prior to _____.

Answer 11

1) exiting the vehicle

2) arrival

Question 12

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC shall be activated as follows:

c. Self-initiated law enforcement activity (e.g., traffic or pedestrian stop) or On-View Incident (e.g., being flagged down). Officers shall activate BWCs prior to _____ including vehicle and foot pursuits. In all cases, BWCs shall be activated prior to turning on emergency equipment.

Answer 12

taking any police action

Question 13

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC shall be activated as follows:

d. Search or arrest warrant. Officers equipped with a BWC shall record during the…

Answer 13

execution of any search or arrest warrant and during all consent searches.

Question 14

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC shall be activated as follows:

e. Search or arrest warrant by Plainclothes and Task Force Officers. Plainclothes and task force officers (TFO) shall obtain and activate BWCs when _____ during a planned attempt to serve an arrest warrant, other planned arrest, or serving a search warrant that requires entry into a business, structure, or dwelling.

If federal policy prohibits a TFO from activating a BWC as described above, the TFO shall not…

Plainclothes officers and TFOs may deactivate the BWC when…

Answer 14

1) actively participating or holding a perimeter
2) hold the perimeter or participate in the actual arrest or entry during the execution of the search warrant.
3) a supervisor on the scene determines that the scene is secure.

Question 15

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC shall be activated as follows:

f. Prisoner or passenger transports. Officers equipped with a BWC shall…

Only during transport, officers may elect to have the BWC _____. Other than when actively transporting a suspect, officers shall not remove the BWC from their uniform when policy requires that the BWC be activated.

Once officers are _____, the BWC may be deactivated.

When a prisoner or passenger is transported by a two-man unit, both officers shall be required to record with the BWC during the transport.

Answer 15

1) record all prisoner or passenger transports, regardless of the gender of the prisoner or passenger. The entire transport shall be recorded.
2) facing the rear passenger compartment of the vehicle
3) in a secured jail facility with surveillance cameras

Question 16

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC shall be activated as follows:

Hostile or contentious interaction. There may be times when an officer is interacting with the public and the discussion becomes unexpectedly hostile or contentious. As soon as an officer determines that this is likely to occur or is occurring, the officer shall _____.

Answer 16

immediately activate the BWC

Question 17

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Activation of Body Worn Camera

The BWC shall be activated as follows:

When at a location where a law enforcement action is taking place, officers shall continue recording until _____ or until ______. Officers are not required to cease recording an event, situation, or circumstance solely at the demand of a citizen.

Answer 17

1) the Law enforcement activity by all officers is completed

2) there is a reason, as permitted by this policy, to deactivate the BWC

Question 18

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Special Circumstances

Traumatic Events:

Officers are sometimes called on to respond to scenes where persons, including witnesses and complainants, may have been traumatized (e.g., a scene of a sexual assault). While officers are encouraged to use their BWCs when it is prudent to do so, when recording the person might inhibit the officer’s ability to obtain a full and candid statement from a complainant or witness, the officer may _____ in this very limited circumstance.

This does not include domestic violence scenes. Officers shall _____ prior to deactivating the BWC. The BWC shall be activated once the contact with that individual has ceased and until the remainder of the investigation is complete.

Answer 18

1) request permission from a supervisor to deactivate the BWC
2) audibly note the reason

Question 19

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Special Circumstances

Driving While Intoxicated:

During encounters with drivers who are suspected of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), officers shall use both BWCs and mobile video equipment (in vehicles in which mobile video equipment has been installed and is functional) to record any field sobriety tests before…

Officers shall follow the Harris County Sheriff’s Department (HCSO) policy as it relates to operating BWCs in the Joint Processing Center.

Answer 19

proceeding to an intoxilyzer testing facility.

Question 20

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Special Circumstances

Special Events:

Special events and crowd control situations present unique tactical and safety concerns for both the public and law enforcement. Examples of such events include demonstrations, major sporting events, festivals, dignitary protection assignments, and parades.

Supervisors tasked with coordinating the response to such events shall…

Depending on availability, _____or higher may authorize officers to work special events and crowd control situations without a BWC.

Answer 20

1) have the discretion to order officers to record portions of or the entire special event.
2) lieutenants

Question 21

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Special Circumstances

Specialized Units:

Exceptions for wearing or activating BWCs based on operational necessity may only be granted by _____.

Divisions with specialized units seeking an exception shall submit proposed _____ detailing specific guidelines for wearing and activating BWCs with the correspondence to the Chief of Police.

Answer 21

1) the Chief of Police

2) Standard Operating Procedures

Question 22

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Special Circumstances

Extra Employment:

Officers permanently assigned a BWC shall…

Answer 22

wear the BWC at all police-related extra employment.

Question 23

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Special Circumstances

Extra Employment:

All officers, regardless of rank, working police-related extra employment that involves _____ or _____ as defined in General Order 300-14, Extra Employment, are required to utilize a BWC that shall be activated in the same manner as required for on-duty officers, including keeping the BWC in Standby Mode, until taking police action.

Answer 23

1) patrolling in a marked vehicle provided by a management district or homeowners association
2) working at an Alcoholic Beverage Establishment (ABE)

Question 24

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Special Circumstances

Extra Employment:

Officers working extra employment at a location described in this section shall notify an on-duty patrol supervisor responsible for the district where the officer is working if the officer’s BWC becomes inoperable. The on-duty supervisor shall…

Officers that are permitted to continue to work the extra employment shall make a note in the extra employment check-in database and in an incident report (if applicable), that the BWC failed and the…

Answer 24

1) determine whether the officer may continue to work the extra employment without the BWC or must cease working until a BWC is obtained.
2) name of the supervisor who granted approval to continue to work the extra employment.

Question 25

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Special Circumstances

Extra Employment:

Officers shall upload any video captured during police-related extra employment activities as soon as practicable, but not later than _____ after the event.

If any Class B arrests or higher or other significant events are captured, the BWC video shall be uploaded before…

These timelines for uploading also apply to any event (such as a traffic stop or other unplanned police action) captured when en route to or from extra employment or when travelling to and from an assignment in a marked vehicle.

Answer 25

1) 72 hours

2) the conclusion of the extra employment.

Question 26

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Mute Function

The Mute Function shall be used when conferring with _____.

The Mute Function may be used during conversations with…

Prior to activating the Mute Function, officers shall audibly note the reason why the audio is being muted.

Answer 26

1) a district attorney’s office
2) undercover officers or confidential informants, to relay information received from undercover officers or confidential informants, when consulting with a physician at a mental health facility, or when instructed by a supervisor.

Question 27

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Deactivation of Body Worn Camera

Deactivating a BWC in regards to a law enforcement activity is governed by the following guidelines. Except as specifically provided otherwise in this General Order, an officer’s BWC may be deactivated only when:

a. All contacts with the public on the scene are completed, and if applicable, all _____ Officers in the transporting unit shall adhere to Section 4, item (f) of this General Order;

Answer 27

arrests have been made and arrestees have been transported or are being transported to a secure jail facility by a transporting unit.

Question 28

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Deactivation of Body Worn Camera

Deactivating a BWC in regards to a law enforcement activity is governed by the following guidelines. Except as specifically provided otherwise in this General Order, an officer’s BWC may be deactivated only when:

b. Conferring with an _____about a tactical operation or briefing.

Answer 28

undercover officer assigned to an investigative division

Question 29

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Deactivation of Body Worn Camera

Deactivating a BWC in regards to a law enforcement activity is governed by the following guidelines. Except as specifically provided otherwise in this General Order, an officer’s BWC may be deactivated only when:

c. Approved by a supervisor on extended scenes. Extended scenes do not include scenes that have _____. Additionally, extended scenes do not include scenes that may…

Answer 29

1) ongoing activity with suspects or when the scene is not fully contained and under control
2) require any interaction with citizens or may require any law enforcement activity.

Question 30

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Deactivation of Body Worn Camera

Deactivating a BWC in regards to a law enforcement activity is governed by the following guidelines. Except as specifically provided otherwise in this General Order, an officer’s BWC may be deactivated only when:

d. The inner perimeter of a scene is cordoned off with crime scene tape; a supervisor may…

Answer 30

permit the deactivation of the BWC for officers within the inner perimeter.

Question 31

USE OF BODY WORN CAMERA

Deactivation of Body Worn Camera

Officers are reminded that the BWC shall remain activated when in a hospital or medical facility for official police business including, but not limited to,…

However, _____may be considered extended scenes requiring supervisor approval for BWC deactivation.

If the department determines an officer was not justified in deactivating the BWC, the officer may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including indefinite suspension.

Answer 31

1) criminal investigations, mental health documentation, or a dying declaration.
2) hospital assignments

Question 32

FAILURE TO ACTIVATE BODY WORN CAMERA

Although the BWC is required to be activated prior to initiating a /aw enforcement activity, there may be circumstances that require officers to act immediately to ensure their safety or the safety of others. In those situations, it may be impractical or unreasonable for the officer to activate the BWC before taking police action. In these instances, the officer shall…

An officer’s justification for failing to activate the BWC because it is unsafe, unrealistic, or impractical shall be evaluated based on whether…

If the BWC is activated late, the officer shall…

If an officer is required to and fails to activate the BWC, the officer shall notify the supervisor and…

Answer 32

1) activate the BWC as soon as it is safe to do so to ensure that the remainder of the incident is properly recorded.
2) a reasonable officer under the same or similar circumstances would have made the same decision.
3) audibly note the reason or explanation on the BWC.
4) document the reason for not activating the BWC in the incident report or call slip.

Question 33

RESPONSIBILITIES

Division Commanders

Division commanders shall ensure…

Answer 33

BWC equipment is being properly utilized and maintained.

Question 34

RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervisor Responsibilities

Any supervisor who becomes aware that an officer has a malfunctioning or defective BWC shall…

Supervisors shall base the decision whether to allow an officer to continue working with a malfunctioning or defective BWC on _____.

Answer 34

1) determine whether the officer should immediately return to the station to replace the BWC.
2) the nature of the calls holding

Question 35

RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervisor Responsibilities

Supervisors shall review relevant BWC recordings prior to…

Supervisors shall complete the R2R After-Action Report within ___days of the R2R incident. If the BWC video is not available in the VEMS, supervisors shall complete the R2R After-Action Report within ____days of the video becoming available

Supervisors shall notify their direct supervisor when there is a delay and they cannot meet the initial____ requirement.

Answer 35

1) submitting any administrative reports as they relate to incidents involving response to resistance (R2R) or pursuits.
2) 5 days
3) 5 days
4) 5 day

Question 36

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

a. Be responsible for the care and custody of all _____assigned to the officer.

Answer 36

BWC equipment

Question 37

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

b. Ensure the BWC used is _____.

Answer 37

assigned to them

Question 38

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

c. Inspect the assigned BWC device daily to ensure that…

Answer 38

there is no visible damage and that the device is in proper working order.

Question 39

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

d. Immediately report a _____to a supervisor. If authorized to work an assignment without fully functional BWC equipment, the officer shall notify dispatch of the authorization, including the authorizing supervisor’s unit number.

Answer 39

dead battery, malfunction, or loss of BWC equipment

Question 40

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

e. ____ all videos.

Answer 40

Properly classify

Question 41

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

f. Upload video(s) to the VEMS by ____.

Answer 41

the end of the shift

Question 42

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

g. Immediately report a ____ to a supervisor.

Answer 42

lost, damaged, or stolen BWC

Question 43

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

h. At the end of the shift, return the checked out BWC to the location where it was obtained. If the BWC is checked out for extra employment, the BWC must be returned to the division where it was obtained at the end of the extra employment. Division commanders may allow officers to return the BWC up to _____ later if the division has a sufficient supply to address the on-duty requirements of the division.

Answer 43

72 hours

Question 44

RESPONSIBILITIES

Officer Responsibilities

Officers issued a BWC shall:

i. Put themselves on the call slip or notify the dispatcher that they are on the scene where_____.

Answer 44

BWC activation is required

Question 45

CLASSIFICATION OF BWC RECORDINGS

Proper classification is critical for ensuring videos are retained in accordance with department mandated and legally required retention schedules.

Officers shall classify videos based on ____.

Officers shall perform the classification of recordings on the _____. Officers shall classify each and every video captured on the BWC.

Answer 45

1) the most serious offense

2) BWC or within the VEMS

Question 46

CLASSIFICATION OF BWC RECORDINGS

Retention Schedule

Once an officer completes the classification of the digital recording, the retention period is automatically applied as set forth below.

a. Class B and Above. For BWC recordings related to criminal offenses that are Class B misdemeanors and above, the retention schedule is ____
b. Class C and All Traffic Stops. For Class C offenses and all traffic stops, the retention schedule is_____
c. Information. For all other BWC recordings, the retention schedule is ____

Answer 46

1) 10 years.
2) three years.
3) 180 calendar days.

Question 47

DOCUMENTATION IN INCIDENT REPORTS

The BWC recording is not a substitute for a thorough and complete original or supplement report.

For incidents requiring an officer to complete an incident report, officers shall ensure each BWC recording is documented in the incident report by…

The fact that a recording was made shall be documented in all reports and any corresponding documentation associated with the incident including, but not limited to, crash reports, Vehicle Pursuit forms, Conducted Energy Device (CED) forms, and R2R forms.

Answer 47

selecting the appropriate option in the Records Management System (RMS) drop down menu.

Question 48

DOCUMENTATION IN INCIDENT REPORTS

Any officers responding to a scene shall notify the primary unit if their BWC was activated while on the scene or on any scene associated with the incident and provide their name and employee number to the primary unit. Regardless of the reason an officer with a BWC is on a police scene, the officer shall…

The primary unit shall include, in the narrative of the incident report, references to _______ on the primary unit’s scene or on any scene associated with the incident being reported.

Officers shall continue data collection as required by General Order 600-42, Racial Profiling Prohibited, regardless of whether they are utilizing a BWC.

Answer 48

1) ensure that they are added to the call slip.

2) all employees (by name and employee number) that recorded video on their BWC

Question 49

RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE (R2R)

Officers involved in R2R incidents captured by BWCs shall follow the applicable departmental policies regarding the reporting of R2R in General Order 600-20, Response to Resistance Reporting.

When feasible, an officer involved in an R2R incident…

The supervisor conducting the R2R review shall…

Answer 49

1) should, but is not required to, review the BWC recording before completing the incident report.
2) review video recordings of all R2R incidents.

Question 50

RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE (R2R)

If an officer is unable to upload the BWC video to the designated server due to illness or injury, the supervisor who has been made aware of the officer’s inability to upload the video shall…

Answer 50

be responsible for ensuring that the video is uploaded as soon as practicable.

Question 51

RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE (R2R)

In critical incidents such as officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, or other officer-involved incidents that result in a person’s serious bodily injury or death, a supervisor shall…

If Homicide or Internal Affairs do not make the scene, then the supervisor shall…

Officers involved in the critical incident shall…

Answer 51

1) take custody of all involved BWCs at the scene and ensure that they are transferred to Homicide Division or Internal Affairs Division.
2) ensure that all videos from the involved BWCs are uploaded
3) not be tasked with uploading the BWC recordings related to that incident.

Question 52

RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE (R2R)

Incidents involving deadly force, serious bodily injury, or allegations of serious misconduct captured on BWCs shall be handled as directed by _____. Homicide Division and Internal Affairs Division shall have the authority to classify a video recording as “Confidential.”

Answer 52

the Homicide Division or Internal Affairs Division investigator on the scene

Question 53

PROHIBITED USAGE

Unless approved by the Chief of Police, officers are prohibited from _____at any time.

While viewing a BWC recording for official purposes, officers shall not take a screen shot or make any separate recording of the BWC recording.

Under Texas Occupations Code Section 1701.659, it is a _____ for a peace officer or other employee of the department to release a recording created with a BWC without permission of the department.

Answer 53

1) making copies of digital evidence for non-law enforcement purposes or uploading digital evidence to public or social media sites
2) Class A misdemeanor

Question 54

PROHIBITED USAGE

Recordings made by officers while performing their police duties shall not be shared or used for personal gain or entertainment.

The BWC is for official use only and shall not be used to record:

a. _____ related activity.
b. Department roll calls, locker rooms, break rooms, restrooms, or ____
c. Conversations of fellow employees …..
d. Conversations with any law enforcement personnel that involve _____
e. _____ or associated briefings.
f. _______meetings including, but not limited to, administrative meetings, committee meetings, mediations, counseling, or in-service training.
g. Inside police facilities unless _____.

Answer 54

a. Personal or non-work related activity.
b. Department roll calls, locker rooms, break rooms, restrooms, or administrative activities.
c. Conversations of fellow employees without their knowledge during routine activities not related to enforcement.
d. Conversations with any law enforcement personnel that involve briefings or tactical operations or plans.
e. Lineup proceedings or associated briefings.
f. Department meetings including, but not limited to, administrative meetings, committee meetings, mediations, counseling, or in-service training.
g. Inside police facilities unless taking law enforcement action.

Question 55

GRAND JURY AND COURT PROCEEDINGS

Officers in court, including grand jury proceedings, shall…

There are times, particularly grand jury hearings, where the BWC may be prohibited and not allowed inside the hearing. Officers should…

Answer 55

1) turn the BWC to Off Mode, unless instructed otherwise by a judge or court personnel.
2) comply with the instructions of the court.

Question 56

PRIVACY CONCERNS

Officers shall not have BWCs recording while inside restrooms, dressing rooms, or locker rooms unless ______or other exigent circumstances exist.

Answer 56

officers are entering in response to an ongoing emergency or a crime that is still in progress, there is reason to believe that a suspect is still inside the location,

Question 57

PRIVACY CONCERNS

Processing Inadvertent Sensitive BWC Recordings

If there is an inadvertent sensitive video made (e.g., while using the restroom or dressing and/or undressing in a locker room), the officer_____

A _____ shall view the video and ensure that there were no policy violations recorded and that no misconduct was observed.

The shift commander shall then notify the department’s ____ that the video shall be retained with restricted access.

Answer 57

1) should notify a supervisor.
2) same-sex shift commander
3) Office of Technology Services, Video Production Services

Question 58

REVIEWING BWC DIGITAL RECORDINGS

Employee Reviews

Officers may, but are not required to,…

Officers should _____ prior to providing testimony at hearings, trials, or depositions.

Answer 58

1) review BWC videos before completing an incident report.

2) view their own digital recording

Question 59

REVIEWING BWC DIGITAL RECORDINGS

Investigative Divisions

If an investigator determines BWC video is available for an assigned case, the investigator shall _____.

When a video is associated with a case/incident number, the retention schedule is _____

Answer 59

1) associate the video with the case/incident number in VEMS

2) placed in suspension.

Question 60

VIEWING AND REQUESTS FOR RECORDINGS

Internal Affairs Investigations

Internal Affairs Division shall have authority to view any BWC video recording and to flag as “_____” any video recording it deems necessary, including any and all video obtained by any involved officer.

Internal Affairs Division investigators and designated division level Internal Affairs investigators have the authority to show a complainant or witness a BWC video recording only after…

Officers are entitled to access any BWC recording of an incident involving the officer before…

Answer 60

1) Confidential
2) a complaint has been made in accordance with civil service law.
3) the officer is required to make a statement about the incident.

Question 61

VIEWING AND REQUESTS FOR RECORDINGS

Use of Digital Evidence for Training Purposes

There may be instances when officers and supervisors believe a recorded incident has training value. In such cases, a supervisor shall…

Answer 61

send correspondence via the chain of command to the Training Division commander for consideration.

Question 62

VIEWING AND REQUESTS FOR RECORDINGS

Requests for Recordings

Employee Requests:

An officer seeking a copy of a BWC video for reasons other than official departmental purposes shall…

Answer 62

make a request in writing through the chain of command to the officer’s assistant chief stating the specific reasons for requesting the video.

Question 63

VIEWING AND REQUESTS FOR RECORDINGS

Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) Requests:

Recordings captured during the scope of an officer’s duties may be subject to release to the public under applicable laws.

All requests from persons for BWC video copies or viewing shall be referred to the department’s ______.

These requests shall be handled in accordance with Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code (Public Information Act), Chapter 1701 of the Texas Occupations Code, and departmental procedures.

Answer 63

Office of Planning & Data Governance

Question 64

VIEWING AND REQUESTS FOR RECORDINGS

Requests from Other Law Enforcement Agencies and Criminal Prosecutors:

The United States Attorney’s Office, the District Attorneys of Harris County, Montgomery County, and Fort Bend County, and the City of Houston Municipal Prosecutors shall not be required to make requests in writing to the Chief of Police for copies of or access to BWC recordings and shall be referred to the _____

The department shall require that any other requests for BWC videos from other law enforcement agencies be made in writing to the Chief of Police.

Answer 64

Office of Technology Services.

Question 65

AUDITS OF BWC RECORDINGS

A report documenting the findings of all the audits listed below shall be sent to The Office Planning & Data Governance.

Monthly Audits by Supervisors

In addition to reviewing BWC videos associated with R2R and Pursuits, a video randomly selected by the department will be audited each month by sergeants and lieutenants to…

Answer 65

monitor compliance with departmental policies and procedures.

Question 66

AUDITS OF BWC RECORDINGS

A report documenting the findings of all the audits listed below shall be sent to The Office Planning & Data Governance.

Semiannual Audits by Risk Management Division and the Independent Police Oversight Board

Employees of the Risk Management Division shall conduct the below BWC audits.

a. Activation Audit.

This audit is to ensure the BWCs are being activated in accordance with department policy. This audit does not include _____. An activation audit shall be conducted on a _____basis. A random sample of videos selected from a division that utilizes BWCs shall be examined.

Answer 66

1) viewing any video

2) biannual

Question 67

AUDITS OF BWC RECORDINGS

A report documenting the findings of all the audits listed below shall be sent to The Office Planning & Data Governance.

Semiannual Audits by Risk Management Division and the Independent Police Oversight Board

Employees of the Risk Management Division shall conduct the below BWC audits.

b. Independent Police Oversight Board and Risk Management Division Compliance Audit.

This audit is to ensure that departmental policies and procedures are being followed. This audit shall be conducted concurrently by the Independent Police Oversight Board (IPOB) and the Risk Management Division. _____each year, IPOB and the Risk Management Division shall view _____videos randomly selected by the _____. Risk Management Division employees shall view the same ___videos. A report documenting the findings shall be sent to the _____

Answer 67

1) Twice
2) twenty
3) Office of Technology Services
4) twenty
5) Office of Planning & Data Governance.

Question 68

AUDITS OF BWC RECORDINGS

A report documenting the findings of all the audits listed below shall be sent to The Office Planning & Data Governance.

Semiannual Audits by the Office of Technology Services

Employees of the Office of Technology Services shall perform audits _____a year of randomly selected stored BWC video files for _____ to ensure video quality, audio quality, color rendition, and proper focus.

System audits shall also be conducted focusing on user access, retention schedules, partial or incomplete video files, and system storage.

Answer 68

1) twice

2) quality control purposes

Question 69

OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

The department’s Office of Technology Services shall be responsible for:

a. _____ the functionality of the BWCs, peripheral devices and cables, video transfer devices, work station software, system settings, and any other equipment located on-site.
b. Maintaining a _____ and equipment and conducting an ____inventory.
c. Coordinating with ______ to maintain network connectivity, server availability, backup copies, and storage availability.
d. Providing assistance to employees performing ____protocols.
e. Handling _____ to access videos not normally accessible by employees.
f. Providing assistance with accessing the ____and addressing other technological issues.

Answer 69

a. Deploying, maintaining, and supporting the functionality of the BWCs, peripheral devices and cables, video transfer devices, work station software, system settings, and any other equipment located on-site.
b. Maintaining a master inventory of HPD BWCs and equipment and conducting an annual inventory.
c. Coordinating with Houston Information Technology Services (HITS) Department to maintain network connectivity, server availability, backup copies, and storage availability.
d. Providing assistance to employees performing audit protocols.
e. Handling special requests to access videos not normally accessible by employees.
f. Providing assistance with accessing the VEMS and addressing other technological issues.

Question 70

Repair and Maintenance

Upon notification of equipment malfunction or damage, a representative from the division shall contact the Office of Technology Services for further direction.

The Office of Technology Services shall have sole responsibility to…

The Office of Technology Services employees shall also be responsible for issuing replacement BWCs and assuming responsibility for updating the database to reflect changes in equipment status and assignment.

Answer 70

liaise with the equipment manufacturer for parts and replacement, if needed.