Below are some of the key policy issues addressed by OPO’s recommendations:
- Compliance with the amendments to Section 1701.655 of the Texas Occupations Code under Texas House Bill 929, which requires that:
- Body-worn camera policies include a provision related to “to the collection of a body worn camera, including the applicable video and audio recorded by the camera, as evidence.”[1]
- Addressed by OPO’s revision to Section 303.9 of the General Orders.
- Body-worn camera policies “require a peace officer equipped with a body-worn camera and actively participating in an investigation to keep the camera activated for the entirety of the officer’s active participation in the investigation unless the camera has been deactivated in compliance with [police department] policy.”[2]
- Addressed by OPO’s revision to Section 303.2 and Section 303.5.3(b) of the General Orders.
- Body-worn camera policies include a provision related to “to the collection of a body worn camera, including the applicable video and audio recorded by the camera, as evidence.”[1]
- Compliance with Section 1701.657(c) of the Texas Occupations Code, which requires that:
- an officer “who does not activate a body worn camera in response to a call for assistance must include in the officer’s incident report or otherwise note in the case file or record the reason for not activating the camera.”[3]
- Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.5.2(h) of the General Orders.
- an officer “who does not activate a body worn camera in response to a call for assistance must include in the officer’s incident report or otherwise note in the case file or record the reason for not activating the camera.”[3]
- More definitions, including terms like:
- “Active participation,” “investigation,” and “law enforcement purposes,” which are used (but left undefined) under Texas law. OPO also defined other pertinent terms like “activate,” “deactivate,” and “docking.”
- Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.2 of the General Orders.
- “Active participation,” “investigation,” and “law enforcement purposes,” which are used (but left undefined) under Texas law. OPO also defined other pertinent terms like “activate,” “deactivate,” and “docking.”
- Clearer requirements related to
- Documentation of recordings
- Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.5.2(g) and Section 304.4.1(e) of the General Orders.
- Notice of recording
- Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.6 and Section 304.5 of the General Orders.
- Activation/deactivation of video recording
- Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.5.3(b) and Section 304.4.2(a) of the General Orders.
- Activation/deactivation of audio recording
- Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.5.3(b)(7) and Section 304.4.2(b) of the General Orders.
- Equipment testing by employees
- “Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.5.2(d) and Section 304.4.1(b) of the General Orders.
- Inspections by supervisors
- Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.8 and Section 304.2 of the General Orders.
- Documentation of recordings
- Requiring investigations into potential violations of body-worn and dashboard camera policies
- Addressed by OPO’s revisions to Section 303.15 and Section 304.14 of the General Orders.
For more information
View (PDF, 643 KB) OPO's recommended language for APD's Body-worn camera policies (General Order 303), the current policy language, and a version showing OPO's recommended changes.
View (PDF, 533 KB)OPO's recommended language for APD's Body-worn camera policies (General Order 304), the current policy language, and a version showing OPO's recommended changes.