Are Police Body-Worn Cameras (BWC) a Danger to the Public’s Privacy?

Body-Worn Cameras Worn By Police and Public Privacy

No doubt about it, body cameras have a lot of benefits, not only for police but also the public.

Yet, the major concern is how the footage is stored, who has access, and when can footage be released to the public.

Whether you are being recorded or not, it is always a good idea to be on your best behavior when you are interacting with police officers.

But, what happens when footage gets recorded of you in some of your most embarrassing moments? i.e. an emotional interaction with a police officer, or a night after a few too many drinks.

Footage Recorded in Public Vs. Private

Who has access to police footage from body cameras, and how it is disseminated is a big concern for both the public and the police.

It is also something that lawyers think a lot about.

Falen O. Cox, an attorney in Savannah, GA, with Cox, Rodman & Middleton Attorneys at Law, took the time to answer some of my inquiries about BWC and public privacy issues.

The first thing she brought up was the distinction between footage recorded in public vs. what is recorded in private.

“Most often BWC [body-worn cameras] record things that happen in public and in view of the public…. However, it gets a bit murkier when we consider law enforcement event that do not take place in view of the public but are nonetheless captured by BWC.” – Falen O. Cox [Cox, Rodman, and Middleton] CRM Attorneys, Savannah, Georgia

So, what are the differences between footage recorded in a public interaction with police vs. footage recorded in public?

Let’s take a look.

SOURCE: https://healinglaw.com/blog/police-body-cameras-and-public-privacy/