NYPD officers and supervisors regularly assigned to patrol are equipped with body-worn cameras (BWC), and they are required to turn them on when engaging in any police action. You have a right to request BWC videos from an encounter you have with the police.
- Body-worn camera footage is a useful tool because it provides an objective account of your encounter with police.
- NYPD policy requires officers to activate their BWCs before engaging in any police action, which includes all Level 1, 2, and 3 encounters and arrests, as well as responding to calls for service and any self-initiated investigative or enforcement activity.
- The camera should stay on until the interaction with the citizen has concluded.
- Officers cannot edit or delete video footage.
- You have a right to request the BWC footage from any encounter you have with police.
- When filling out the “Request a Record” form, be sure to choose the New York City Police Department as the agency that will handle your request and to choose Body Worn Camera as the Request Type, before filling out the details of the incident and your personal information.
- If your request is denied, you have the right to appeal the denial.