The NYPD wants your input on body-worn cameras

The New York Police Department (NYPD) is looking for the opinions of New Yorkers about police body cameras with a survey on the topic.

The NYPD plans to assign approximately 1,000 body-worn cameras to officers in certain precincts throughout the city. This is part of a one-year pilot program to determine whether body-worn cameras can help to encourage lawful and respectful police-citizen interactions and improve both officer and public safety.

Here are a few facts about the NYPD Body-Worn Camera Proposed Policy as listed on their website policingproject.org:

Under the NYPD's proposed policy, officers must record:

• Any use of force.

• All arrests, summonses, searches of persons and property, and any stop or frisk.

• When responding to a crime in progress.

• When patrolling inside a New York Housing Authority (NYCHA) building, or a building enrolled in the Trespass Affidavit Program (TAP).

• When transporting a prisoner or any person in police custody to a police station, hospital, or jail.

• When interacting with someone who may be experiencing an emotional disturbance.

Officers may also record anytime they think it would be useful to do so.

Officers may not record in the following situations:

• Internal police matters, e.g. staff meetings, trainings, and administrative activities.

• Sensitive police-citizen encounters, e.g. when speaking with a confidential informant, interviewing a victim of a sex crime, or conducting a strip search.

• Inside courthouses or medical facilities.

• At public protests or demonstrations.

You can view the entire NYPD Body-Worn Camera Proposed Policy: Fact Sheet by clicking here.

There are two ways you can provide your views. You can either fill out a brief questionnaire on the main points in the NYPD proposed policy, or you can upload a full set of your comments (or both) by visiting: https://policingproject.org/nypd-body-worn-camera-feedback/

The comment period will end on August 7.