BWC Legislation

Five Trends In Police Body Camera Legislation

Source

The Urban Institute (2018)

Authors

Nkechi Erondu

In late August, a Texas jury convicted former Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver of the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards. The uncommon verdict largely rested on footage of the incident captured on Oliver’s body camera, technology the city’s police department implemented in 2015. As more law enforcement agencies nationwide use police body-worn cameras, states are developing and refining policy guidance. Since updating the last body camera legislation tracker in January 2017, 16 states have passed new laws and 12 states have pending legislation governing key aspects of the technology’s use. The Urban Institutes new tracker illustrates several shifts in policy and focus and reveals five notable trends.

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