ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

HB 2152: police; camera recordings; required redactions

Sponsor: Representative Kavanagh, LD 23

Committee on Military Affairs & Public Safety

Overview

Requires law enforcement agencies to redact portions of body-worn camera video recordings that show a person who is not the subject of a police investigation or enforcement action before releasing a copy of the video to the public.

History

Body-worn cameras are relatively small devices that record interactions between community members (e.g., the public, suspects and victims) and law enforcement officers. The video evidence is uploaded through a docking station on a local storage device (e.g., server) or through an online web-based digital media storage platform where the evidence can be encrypted and managed. Some models allow for the video to be uploaded while in the field.

Provisions

1. Requires law enforcement agencies to redact portions of body-worn camera video recordings that show the face or an unidentifiable body part of a person who is not the subject of a police investigation or enforcement action before releasing a copy of the video to the public.

2. Stipulates the person who is not the subject of a police investigation or enforcement action must have been:

a) In a private location closed to the public;

b) In a public location, but the person had an expectation of privacy;

c) A victim of or witness to a crime; or

d) In a state of undress and the person's groin or buttocks were not covered or, if the person is female, the person's breasts were not covered.

3. States this does not apply to a person who provides a law enforcement agency with a written waiver to release the video recording without any redactions.

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7. HB 2152

8. Initials ES Page 0 Military Affairs & Public Safety

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