As KAIT News in Arkansas alludes to, many body-worn cameras (BWC) have a mute function which allows the camera to continue to record video, but the audio can be temporarily disabled. When muting does occur, the question that may arise is, are officers muting the audio for a cause, or is there malicious intent? It is common for many department policies to have exceptions when audio can be muted if that functionality is enabled. For example, an officer may be authorized to util

Another Implementation of body-worn cameras (BWC) outside of Law Enforcement has made it to the United States. Kenmore, Washington, began equipping their game officials with body-worn cameras to deter poor spectator behavior. ESPN: Testing body cameras as a potential solution to abuse of game officials. The abusive and threatening behavior directed toward game officials at an 8th-grade basketball game turned violent when a spectator intentionally knocked an elderly game off

Illinois State Police have released body-worn camera video of the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey on July 6th by Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson. This tragic and horrific incident has garnered national attention, as it should. I will refrain from commenting on the incident itself. Undoubtedly, every aspect of the event will be disected in the ensuing investigation, criminal, and civil trials. I want to discuss the fact that Deputy Grayson didn't activate his came

This recent story out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, reinforces my premise that, besides recording police activities, body-worn cameras also document a department's culture. You may argue that this is just a singular incident involving two officers, but is it? Is this singular or is this pervasive? This isn't the first time similar comments have been recorded by body cameras around the country. These incidents do little to reinforce public support in the current climate of polic

There is an ongoing debate in Alaska, specifically Anchorage, regarding the release of body-worn camera video in the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting. According to one news article, both Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor and Deputy Attorney General John Skidmore believe that it is a violation of the constitutional rights of an individual (i.e. officers) to release video before an investigation is completed. On the other side of the debate is the newly appointed Chi

What happens when body-worn cameras don't function as intended, there are exigent circumstances, or both? An incident recently occurred in Narragansett, Rhode Island, where the "auto-activation" feature of the BWC system reportedly didn't function properly (see article). BWC hardware or system failures are rarely due to officer error. Agencies should have procedures outlined in policy that cover pre-shift operational system checks and actions to be taken when defects are iden

I am honored to publicly express my deepest gratitude to the Colorado State Patrol for the incredible opportunity to serve as a body-worn camera program consultant over the past two years. Your trust in my expertise and the collaborative spirit we've shared have been profoundly rewarding. Working alongside such dedicated professionals as Chief Matt Packard, Chief of Staff Sarah Allen, Major Afsoon Ansari, Captain Shane Scovel and Mr. Doug Oates, has been a privilege. I am gr

By Daniel Zehnder, Founder and President, Principis Group, Inc This recent news out of Detroit should serve as a reminder of the importance of monitoring the Digital Evidence Management System(DEMS) daily. A DEMS/CAD integrated automatic sync process just isn’t optional anymore for mid to large agencies. One event equals one video per officer on scene. Additionally, manufacturers provide additional software solutions to assist in managing the monitoring of activations. Yes, t

By Daniel Zehnder, Founder and President of Principis Group, Inc In 2016, I began to follow the deployment of body-worn cameras (BWC) in private sector businesses in England. Our law enforcement counterparts in England were years ahead of us in the United States with BWC implementation so it seemed natural for them to also be forward thinking about migrating the technology to non-public applications. I saw a personal business opportunity here in the US with bringing lessons l

By Joe Mulé, Director of Training, Principis Group Inc Body-worn camera (BWC) and in-car video (ICV) systems are among the most beneficial pieces of equipment in modern day policing. Many police administrators, however, underestimate the complexities of managing these programs, regardless of agency size, and also fail to dedicate sufficient resources. This article is but one example. Comparing equipment, assessing system features and selecting the solution provider are the ea

I recently came across yet another story of a law enforcement agency delaying the release of body camera footage in the aftermath of a critical incident in which an African American teenager was killed. The incident occurred over a month ago and the family has yet to be shown the video. I went to this agency’s website to see what their BWC policy said regarding release under such circumstances. Unfortunately, I could not find the policy on their site nor through a general onl

There have been an increasing number of articles over the past several years about the use of body-worn cameras (BWC) in private sector businesses across the U.S. Many are beginning to see the benefit of BWC in companies that have high-risk, high-liability, or high-loss operations. U.S. based companies are far behind their counterparts in the U.K. where BWC are being utilized in healthcare, retail and even the sporting industries. While this is certainly understandable for m

I'm honored to have been asked to facilitate a technology session on the utility of social media and the cybersecurity implications of unmanned aircraft systems at CNA's Center for Justice Research and Innovation Virtual Symposium. This session will be on August 30th from 3:15-4:30ET. The session is just one of many that will focus on the future of the criminal justice system, law enforcement wellness, organizational change community engagement, emerging technologies, and the

The AELE Use of Force Seminar in Las Vegas last week was another resounding success for the organization. I was honored to be a member of an amazing roster of speakers, all experts in their respective fields. I spoke on the topic of body-worn camera management in the immediate aftermath of an officer-involved shooting or other critical incident. The attendees were thoroughly engaged all week which created a supportive learning environment. Thanks to Dr. John Peters, the Execu

The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission (FPC) passed a resolution that took effect on May 1st requiring the department to release BWC video within 15 days of an officer-involved shooting or other critical incident. It also requires the department to provide the family of the people killed by police the opportunity to view the video within 48 hours of the incident. The Milwaukee Police Association (MPA) filed a lawsuit against the FPC claiming such a release timeline would in

Honored to be asked to present at the AELE Use of Force Seminar in Las Vegas on May 11th on the topic of body-worn camera management at the scene of an officer involved shooting or other critical incident. AELE is a resource center and legal educational provider dedicated to offering interested parties objective, timely, accurate, legal, scientific, and evidence-based information and operational guidance for the enhancement of the criminal justice community and to reduce pote

A short article was just published on the website cointelegraph.com with the title "Police body cam leaks suspect's seed phrase during vehicle inspection". The video has recently gone viral on Twitter and has been the source of discussion about developing and protecting crypto seed phrases. Seed phrases are a series of words that grants access to an individual's cryptocurrency wallet. Seed phrases work like a master password, so one can recover their crypto assets even if the

The U.S. Interior Department on Monday, October 3, 2022, launched a set of new policies that would require thousands of law enforcement officers to wear body cameras, ensures the release of footage in some critical incidents and restricts the use of so-called no-knock warrants. The policies apply to the thousands of law enforcement officers who work for the Interior Department, in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and

I am proud and honored to have been asked to participate in CNA's Project on American Justice (PAJ) over the past two years. The goal of the project is to produce new research ideas and innovative strategies to help resolve some of the most pressing issues facing the justice system. CNA has assembled "thought leaders" in the criminal justice field that represent a balanced mix of expertise, experiences, and backgrounds. PAJ's first major report, "Recruitment and Retention in

Pleased to announce that I am speaking on the topic of BWC recordings and public records requests in a webinar, hosted by Granicus, on Thursday, August 25th at 1:00PM Eastern / 10:00AM Pacific. Body-worn cameras (BWC) have changed how the public perceives police accountability and transparency. Along with this greater awareness has come calls for releasing BWC video release after critical incidents, putting pressure on public records offices. That can mean increased need for