BWCs and “Special/Extra/Off-duty” Assignments

BWCs should be worn no matter what you call the assignment a uniformed officer works that is not a regularly scheduled duty shift. Officers who work these assignments wear a uniform, and a camera is part of the uniform in the same way a gun, baton, handcuffs and pepper spray are. This has been a recommended policy item for years. This news story out of Columbus Ohio emphasizes the need for this requirement. The policy change was a result of several high-profile incidents involving officers on “special duty” over the past several years. Fortunately for Columbus Division of Police, there hasn’t been any serious negative consequences. Department leadership saw the need for the policy change and got it instituted. Additionally, the Department of Public Safety purchased an additional 215 BWCs specifically for these special duty assignments. Let this be a cautionary tale for police leadership in agencies that currently don’t make it mandatory for the wear of BWC on such assignments. Failure to do so puts your officers and your agency at risk.