Dallas Police Department General Order 3XX.00 Body Worn Cameras Davi 0. BROWN CIEE OF POLICE Special Order No Document Control No,__Revived 3XX00 BODY WORN CAMERA PROGRAM SCOPE AND PURPOSE ‘The Department nas adopted the use of Body Worn Cameras (BWC) to enhance our cizen interactions and provide additional investigatoy evidence. The department recognizes that BWC images have a ited Feld of view and cannot always show the ful story, nor do video images capture an entre scene. ‘The use of body wom cameras does not reduce the requirement 10 provide thorough writen documentation of an incident SXX01 Program Objectives |A._ Its the intention of the Dallas Poice Department to utiize body worn cameras in a manner that i fai and equitable toward employees and ctizens. 8. The Dallas Police Deparment has adopted the use of body worn cameras in order to accomplish several objectives, These objectives mcude, but are not limites to Enhance department transparency to the public, Enhancement of oftcer safety Enhancement af oficer reporting, evidence collection, and cour testimony. Enhance offer vaining Protection tom flee claims of impropriety Provide accurate documentation of events, actions, conltions, and statements made during attests and ertcal ineidents, 7. _ Document the quality of service provided by police offeers, Body worn camera recordings wil be used for lagtimate law enforcement purposes only and in accordance with applicable law and Departmental polices. 3XK.02_ Definitions A. The AXON Flex camera system -a wearable camera system with multiple mounting options on an office's uniform esigned to record autio and video interactions by officers while in performace of thei duties. The camera Components are designed for use in tough environmental conditons encountered during day to ay law enforcement Actvties. The Flex aystom is designed to record events in real-tme for secure storage, relieval, and analysis through the EVIDENCE com website. The AKON Flex system is composed of three main pars ‘2. AXON Flex Camera - a digtal vdeo recorder (DVR) that offers high qualty video and low-light gathering capabilties. ‘The recorders designed to store atleast 4 hours of video. Ifthe camera is fll has reached its storage imi) the camera wil ot record over previous video but instead stops recording AXON Flex Contrller- enables you to turn the Unk on, begin recording, stop recording, and tum the unt Off The controller features LEDs to indicate the operating mode and batery capac, ‘Operation LED. I ‘Operating Mode Biokinghed — recording — inking Green uteri Sod Red Boouna Up inking Yow [Che abies Daconnected & AXON Evidence Transfer Manager (ETM) ~ also refered to as a docking station. When the AKON camera and controller units are placed into an ETM, video evidence is sutomatcaly downloaded (0 Evidence com, 8. The AXON body camera system - is @ camera that worn onthe office's chest. This camera incorporates the DVR. unit and Controller un into one piece of equipment and has the same functions and capabilities a5 the AXON Flex camera system. C. Division BWC Administrator - The supervisor assigned primary responsibly for the BWC program atthe Division level 1D. BWC Coordinator ~ A supervisor on any watch trsined to handle BWC responsbites. Includes the Division EWC Administatar. Department BWC Administrator Individual or Un wth Department-wide responsibilty forthe BWC program, F Law Enforcement Actvty- any actly thas in furtherance of a law enforcement goal. These can include traffic stops, pedestrian stops, call for service, folow up investigations, interviews, searches, crowd neidents, protests and anests Each Dvision/Secton/Untutizing BWCs will designate a supervisor as a Division BWC Administrator. The Division BWC [Administrator is responsible forthe overall operation of the BWC equipmentvideos atthe level, This supervisor has primary responsibity for video operations and taining coardinaion atthe Dvison lave. 3XX03 General Procedures A. AllaudioWvideo captured during the scope of an ofice’s dues are the property af the Dallas Police Department and axe subject to departmental potcies and applicable laws regarding viewing, release, retention, and destiucton,10. " Dallas Police Department General Order 3XX.00 Body Worn Cameras Revised Prior o using a BWC, ffcers shal receive Department approved taining on the proper operation and the Department's polcy with respect fo ts use, Additional traning shall be proviced at periodic intervals to ensure the continued effectve use of the equigmant and fo incorporate changes, updates, or other revisions in polees. ‘and equipment BBWC and related equipment is the responsibilty ofthe individual offeer and will be used with reasonable care to ensure proper functioning, Malfunctions shall be brought to the atenton of the officer's supervisor as soon as possible so that at a replacement unit may be assigned. Officers shall inspect ane test ther ody worn camera ror to each wateh te vest proper functioning and shall notify ther supervsor of any problems, Inthe event tat 8 body worm cameras ost the officer shall mmediatly noty hisher supervisor. COicars whe wish ta purenase ther own Body worn camera must purchase the same camera the city uses for purposes of compatability. The purchase wil be dore through the city to ensure the video produced s properly Segmented and stored. The department wil purchase and maintain the license forthe body warn camera Personnel wil not remove, dismantle or tamper with any hardware andor software component ar par ofa body Offers wil not eda, alter, erase, duplicate, copy, or otherwise dstrbute in any manner body worn camera recordings without proper authorization, Personnel wil nat make copies of anybody worn camera fle or screen shot for thelr personal use and are pronibited fom using a recording device sueh as a phone camera or secondary video camera record such Under no circumstances wil audio'video evidence be converted for personal Use. Accessing, copying, eding ‘releasing recordings ar depictions of recordings without proper approvals strictly prohibited (teers assigned a body warn camera may use the camera at approved off-duty employment, but only in complance th Department duties. Offcers wil download all evdence recorded duting their off-duty ‘empleymentno later than during their next regularly assigned on-duty shit or when directed by a supervisor Nondepartment personne shall not be allowed to feview recordings unless pursuant to writen consent of the Chiat of Poice. Recordings may be reviewed by other law enforcement agencies wth supervisor approval Officers are encouraged to inform ther supervisor of any ecording that may be of value for raining purposes. 8. Officer Responsibities 2 Cffcars wil request additional instruction as needed fom a supervisor if they have questions relating tothe correct operation ofthe equipment. ‘A the beginning of each shit ofces wil ensure ‘2 That he BING i fly charged and operational b.__Thatthe BWWC is secured to thor uniform as trained. Prior to the end ofeach shit offcers wll ensure ‘Video evidence is propery categorized for retention on the server. (Arest, Pursuit, Citation, Offense, etc) bThatthe camera s synced and docked for downloading video. Indicate in their offensaarrest reports and ctations the existence of any body worn camera video. (car wil inform thee supervise af any vdeo that has significant evidentiary value or that may be utiized for training purposes. Supervisory Responsibities 1 2 3 ‘Supervisors shall ensure that officers assigned a body worn camera uiize them in accordance with policy and procedure. ‘Supervisors wil ensure videos related to crtical incidents are uploaded to corresponding cig les and tagged forretenton a8 soon 28 practical, ‘Supervisors may Rave the ably to resolve ciizen complains by reviewing video captured by an officer's body worn camera. In those circumstances where a complaint 's resolved wih no further action needed, the ‘Supervisor shal document thet review. ‘Supervisors, when reviewing vdeo should look for taining opportunites to eniance offcer performance, In ‘dation any video Deleved to benef recrut anglorn-sarve trainng should bs forwarded thraugh the chain of ‘command tothe police academy. Minor infractions ef policy or procedure will be handled ae a training issue and suprevicore should use the ‘onportunty to counsel wth employees to ensure no future volations occur. 3XX.04 When and How to Use the Body Worn Camera A. Officers wil utize the BWC in the following circumstances: 1 ‘Officers wil activate ther body worn camera to record all contacts that are conducted within the scope of an coffcial aw enforcement capacty.incuding but net Inited to '8 Before any enforcement stop, pedestiin or vehicle, ofcers wil activate the body camera upan exiting the police vehicl.An cffcer may activate the camara any tee proto exiting the vehicle. ithe BLVC. ‘cannot be activated upon exting the police vehicle, «wil be activated as soon aa practical and safe te do Upon arrival wnen on any call for service. Officers may activate the camera while enroute t a call destination they deem & necessary. During nonehicle pursuits (foot, bike, T3, et.) as soon as the offcer can do so safely. During vahile pursuits in vehicles without in.car DVR ystems, at soon 28 the officer can do 30 safely Upon arriving to al came in progress calls as soon as the officer can do $0 safely During the execution of a warrant or "knock and ta operation.c °. Dallas Police Department General Order 3XX.00 Body Worn Cameras Revised ‘When requesting and conducting @ consensual search. Before any planned or anticipated arrest. During the inventorying of zed narcatic, money or any high value property. \When conducting the Standard Fieli Sobriety Test SFST) ot Drug Recognition Expert (ORE) test ‘Any stuation where the offca’'s raining and experience causes hem/her to believe the incident needs to be recorded to enhance reports. preservation of evidence, and ai in subsequent cour testimony ‘Any time an officer deems necessary. Ofcers are encouraged fo review video recordings of incidents prior to wating any offense, arest. or incident report to ensure the accuracy and consistency af he report. nChical Incident Team (CIT) cals, (©. Any incident or contact that may result an enforcement action being taken or ofcialrepor being generated 2. The BVVC will be deactivates curing non-enforcement activites such a8 when protecting a vatfic crash scene, ‘or other incident tnat provides no evidentiary valve 3. Officers shal have the latte to terminate a recording when there Is na ikelnood of anything else of ‘evicentiary 0” law enforcement value occuring, It shall be deemed a violation ofthis policy for an officer to fail to activate the body worn camera or nlentonally terminate a recording in order fo comme a violation of department policy or la 4. Officers are not required to obtain consent from a private person when in a public place or in location where there's no reasonable expectation of privacy Its atthe discretion ofthe offeer to determine if they want to ‘announce 2 recording s occuring 5. While in pubic areas oftcers are not requied to advise a subject that they ae recardng thei interaction tnless the subject specficaly asks they are being recorded, at which pont the officer wil infcrm the subject that they are being recorded 8. When ina private residence in an official capacity, officers are not required to advise the resident they are recording, The offcers ot prohtted from but encouraged to advise the cizen ofthe recarding # doing so ft would batter serve the handling ofthe inset. Prior to deactivating the BWC, oficers wil make a recorded announcement as tothe reason the device is being ‘deactivated such 35- 4. "Contact competed ae 2 “Incident concluded” 3. “Instructed by supervisor (name) fo end recording” 4 _“Offeer or supervisor discussion in the fea” Ir the BWC fats to activate the officer will document the failure ina MIR or offense supplement report. The officer will also notify thee supervisor ofthe equipment flue Ir an officer fais to activate the BWC or fais to record the entre contact the officer shall document the reasons in & MIR or offense supplement report, 3XX.08 Prohibited use of BWC Equipment 3xx.06 In any situation where individuals have an expectation of privacy such as bathrooms and locker rooms, unless its requited to capture evidence for a creinal investigation, ‘The use of BINCs in a hosptal or doctor's office setting wil be limited to investigative use only. Officers wil not ‘acord a patent's madicalinteracton and procedures wih Rospial or meical personne! unless all pares are aware ‘hat arecoraing i taking place and t's needed as evidence. \Whan on ereak or otherwise engaged in personal activity, During administrative investigations. Images of undercover afcars or confential informants wil not be recorded, unless requested by the undercover officer or their supervisor inthe furtherance ofan investigation Dunng any work related meetings, deals or conversations o flow employees without ther knowledge during non- enforcement relates actives, ‘Any personal conversations of or between another department member or employee without the recorded ‘members/employee's knowiedge or permission Officers wil use only the department issued body wom camera, Retention, Storage and Handling of Videos Public Information Act requests fr videos willbe handled in accordance with Chapter 582 ofthe Texas Government CCode and departmental procedures, All video willbe maintained for a minimum of 90 days. If the video has not been categorized as one which isto be ‘stained wil automaticaly be deleted afer 90 days. Video recording nardcopies will nly be created fr oficial reasons, to include: 1. Criminal evidence 2. Public Information Act (Open Records) requests 3. Internal Afar Ovision requests, 4 Approved Training Section requests, 5. Other if approved by the Divison Commander. BWC recordings wil not be provided to anyone outside of the Dallas Police Department uniess the recording Fequestea thraugh the proper Pubic Information ct request process oF through Criminal Jurtoa aquest raos'ved ‘ona completed snd approved request formDallas Police Department General Order 3XX.00 Body Worn Cameras Revised E,_The Open Records/Records Management Unit wil set requests. F. During any administrative or criminal investigation the person conducting the investigation shall alow the involved ofee 0 eview video involving the incdent captured by BVVC equipment worn by the offcer or anctner officer. 1G. Copies of recordings not invaving pending exminal action, civil itgation, oF infernal investigations may be used for traning purposes withthe approval ofthe Training Division Commander. 1rges for duplications of videos for Poble Information Act This order is effective ___ and will be incorporated into the General Orders as a change by section insert. David O. Brown Chief of Police