APD Body-worn cameras follow-up - august 2025

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APD Body-Worn Cameras Follow-Up - 2025
Released: August 2025

Download the Full Report here
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Body-worn cameras enhance transparency and accountability for interactions between citizens and the police. Our 2018 performance audit of the program made 16 recommendations intended to align policies with best practices, improve compliance with policies, and better monitor compliance. This follow-up audit assesses the extent to which those recommendations were implemented and whether the actions taken improved compliance. This report addresses the following objective: 1. Has compliance with the body-worn camera program's policies and procedures improved since 2018, and has the department implemented our prior audit recommendations?
 
In this audit, we made five recommendations geared toward improving the completeness and tracking of supervisory review and using system tools to track compliance with camera activation and deactivation procedures. These should help to further improve camera compliance, protecting both officers and the public.  

We found:

• Cameras have been assigned to all units, and officers have recorded and uploaded videos for 88% of dispatched calls.
•  The new camera technology has helped improve video capture by automatically activating cameras when officers unholster firearms or turn on the squad car's emergency lights and sirens.
• The lights and sirens also automatically activate cameras of all officers on the scene within a 30-foot radius.
• The department also disciplines officers who don't comply with camera procedures and now retains videos for at least 5 years.