7.136 Body Worn Cameras Flashcards
Body worn cameras (BWC) are a valuable tool for promoting ____________, _____________, and _________________ by recording citizen contacts with officers. BWCs are also effective in capturing video and audio evidence for use in criminal prosecutions and internal investigations. In its utilization of BWCs, the department respects the legitimate privacy interests of citizens.
Professionalism, public trust, and transparency in policing
Who has to wear a BWC?
- Uniformed officers and sergeants regularly assigned to:
a. The Community Policing Division (CDP)
b. The Tourist Safety Division (TSD)
c. SWAT
d. The Gang Enforcement Team (GET)
e. K9
f. Headquarters Security Detail - Plainclothes officers and sergeants assigned to the Major Violators and Narcotics Bureau (MVNB).
- Any employee who transfers or is promoted to another assignment based on a TPAN which requires the employee to wear a BWC.
Can officers use personally owned video recording devices?
No. They will only use their assigned BWC.
T/F
The BWCs will be worn on the collar, epaulette, eyewear, or head mount as instructed during BWC training. Officers will wear their BWC on the non-weapon bearing shoulder to allow for firing a long gun (shotgun or rifle). This will ensure, under most circumstances, the BWC has an optimum or unobstructed forward view. If the BWC shifts and is no longer recording an unobstructed view, officers will reposition the BWC, once aware, and it is safe to do so to maintain an optimum field of vision.
True
When will plain clothes officers who have been issued a BWC, regardless of assignment, wear their camera?
a. During pre-planned enforcement activities when it is practical and safe to don the BWC (e.g., person stops, arrests, search warrants). The department recognizes that the use of BWC is not for surveillance, and it is not expected to record the entirety of operations. This mandate applies to LVMPD officers assigned to federal taskforce; however, BWC activation may be restricted for specific or sensitive investigations per the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) parameters.
b. In circumstances where police action is anticipated and time permits the officer to don the BWC (e.g., responding to a crime in progress call).
During an officer’s shift, the BWC must remain powered on to ensure the BWC will capture a __________ window of footage prior to an officer activating the camera.
30-second
Officers must notify a supervisor when they become aware there is a malfunction or damage to the BWC, document the malfunction/damage in an email, and submit to _______________.
Systems Administrative Unit (SAU)
Officers will place the BWC into a docking station for upload and charge when?
At the end of shift
Police officers wearing a BWC may be assigned to work overtime in a jail facility. Due to the differing privacy requirements, officers __________ wear or operate their camera while working inside the jail.
Will not
Officers tasked with guarding prisoners at medical facilities will ensure they are assigned to an event with Dispatch. Once assigned they will create a short video identifying their role in guarding the prisoner, after which they may deactivate their camera unless the prisoner becomes disruptive, is unsecured for medical treatment, or the officer believes recording is prudent based on the circumstances. Upon completing this assignment, officers will return and upload their BWC at their bureau ___________________ shift. If an officer is involved in any incident that requires reporting to their immediate supervisor (e.g., reportable force, pursuit, citizen complaint), the BWC will be returned to a centralized dock location and uploaded. The officer’s chain of command will ensure the officer is paid through the time that is required to dock the camera.
On their next scheduled shift
BWCs will only be used during law enforcement operational duties. The BWC shall not be used to record:
- Follow-up investigative briefings;
- Large-scale special events (e.g., New Year’s Eve, mega-sports event, etc.) unless a circumstance arises that requires activation. The normal interaction with the crowd that occurs during these events does not require continuous recording;
- Any telephone call or personal conversation between other department employees without the recorded employee’s knowledge (see LVMPD 8.172, Covert Mechanical Recordings);
- Non-work-related activity where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists, such as locker rooms, dressing rooms, or restrooms;
- Inside a detention facility (BWC will remain activated until the officer walks into the booking area of the facility);
- Administrative matters, training, shift briefings, management meetings, professional development conversations, work performance counseling, disciplinary processes, or bargaining and contractual matters;
- Encounters with undercover officers or confidential informants.
Every officer assigned a BWC will activate their camera while involved in or observing police action as detailed in this policy, whether or not they have been assigned to a call. Officers will activate the BWC as soon as they are assigned a call via radio or MDT, or at the onset of self initiated activity once safe to do so. Though there are mandated circumstances in which an officer must activate their BWC, an officer may _________________ to activate their BWC in situations outside of these mandates.
Exercise discretion
Officers will record in the following circumstances and inform individuals that they are being recorded as soon as it is safe to do so:
- All calls for service involving contact with citizens or suspects;
- Officer-initiated activities (e.g., vehicle and person stops);
- Any citizen contact that becomes adversarial;
- Witness, victim, and suspect interviews including Miranda Warning and post Miranda contact;
- Detentions or investigations pursuant to an arrest;
- Searches of persons, structures, or vehicles;
- While transporting prisoners;
- After the occurrence of an officer-involved traffic accident;
- When third party sourced video is shown to officers and officers believe that the video may be deleted or lost as evidence, officers are encouraged to record that video (e.g., business owned video or domestic violence investigations); however, consent must be granted;
- When driving Code 3;
a. SWAT officers will activate their camera once arrived. - Any involvement that meets the criteria of a pursuit in policy, or any attempts to contain or locate a subject who has fled from officers whether on foot or in a vehicle (including primary, secondary, or any additional officer who is responding to, or participating in, the pursuit. This also includes “bubbling” or “paralleling” tactics). See LVMPD 3.210, Vehicular Pursuit and LVMPD 3.220, Foot Pursuits);
- When field testing narcotics, counting money, documenting high value property, or returning property back to the owner;
- K9, Traffic, and resident officers responding to calls for service will activate their BWC when they are within two miles of arrival (or at all times when driving Code 3).
To ensure the details of an evolving incident have been captured on BWC, officers will continue recording until:
- They have cleared from the scene and are no longer assigned to the event; and
- They have discontinued contact with (and are no longer in proximity to) the subject(s).
Officers will deactivate their BWC on static crime scenes when directed by a supervisor or investigative personnel. All other officers assigned to other responsibilities related to the event will have their BWC activated until advised by a supervisor. Officers will not record ___________________, ____________________, or _____________________.
Briefings with investigative units, any discussions about charges against a subject, or activities at command posts
