2023 GUIDE TO

BODY-WORN
CAMERAS
BEST PRACTICES FOR
PROCUREMENT, DEPLOYMENT

INSIDE
Why body 5 keys for Lessons The keys to
cameras in procurement learned 10 grant-funding
corrections? years later success

Sponsored by

1 2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras

 WHAT COPS WANT IN A BODY
WORN CAMERA PROGRAM
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2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras 2

FROM THE EDITOR
Body-worn cameras (BWCs) have become essentially universal in EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
policing. The benefits of a BWC program – improved transparency, Nancy Perry
nperry@lexipol.com
accountability, safety and reduced liability – apply in corrections
facilities as well. BWC video can also be an invaluable resource EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, EMS1
in providing documentation of real-life situations to learn in a Kerri Hatt
controlled training environment. The lessons learned by police khatt@lexipol.com
agencies can ease the transition to BWCs for correctional facilities
SR. ASSOCIATE EDITOR
and correctional officers. Sarah Calams
scalams@lexipol.com
As adoption grows, BWC legislation, policy and grant funding
opportunities are evolving as well. Additionally, the technology itself ASSISTANT EDITOR
is continually adapting, giving facilities capabilities they never even Ashley Silver
asilver@lexipol.com
knew to dream of. Yet with greater choice also comes greater due
diligence responsibilities. EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Greg Friese
To help correctional facilities stay up to date on the procurement gfriese@lexipol.com
process and the evolving applications of bodycam technology, this
VP OF CONTENT
digital edition highlights what facilities need to know about body-worn Jon Hughes
cameras in 2023 and beyond. jhughes@lexipol.com

Nancy Perry DESIGN

Editor-in-Chief, Corrections1 Ariel Shumar
ashumar@lexipol.com

CONTENTS Sponsored by

4 WHY BODY CAMERAS IN CORRECTIONS?

By Phillip J. Swift, PhD

8 THE BUSINESS OF BODY CAMERAS: 5 KEYS FOR PROCUREMENT

By Cole Zercoe

12 6 LESSONS LEARNED FROM 10 YEARS OF BWC DEPLOYMENT

By Sergeant Bob Younger & Lieutenant David Pearson (ret.)

14 GRANT-FUNDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR BODY-WORN CAMERAS

By John Hough

18 BEYOND THE BODY-WORN CAMERA: INCORPORATING

DIGITAL EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS INTO THE
CORRECTIONS ENVIRONMENT
By Laura Neitzel

3
3 2023
2023 Guide
Guide to
to Body-Worn
Body-Worn Cameras
Cameras
WHY B DY
CAMERAS IN
CORRECTIONS?
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras 4
BWC footage benefits – improved evidence, training, transparency,
safety and reduced liability – far outweigh the costs

WRITTEN BY COSTS VS. LIABILITY

P h i l i p J. Sw i f t , Ph . D.
Since their release, body-worn cameras (BWCs)
have become an essential part of the American
policing model. A 2018 Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS) report studied the use of BWCs by
general-purpose law enforcement agencies and
found the following [1]:
Although few would argue the need for
police agencies to have BWC programs, not
everyone has considered value of BWCs in the
corrections setting. If BWC programs offer all
the benefits stated above, how could one argue
that BWCs would not offer the same benefit to
corrections officers?

• 80% of large police agencies had

purchased BWCs With all of this in mind, you would
• 60% of police agencies and 49% of be hard pressed to find a police
sheriffs’ offices who had purchased administrator who doesn’t agree
BWCs had fully implemented them
that the reputational and financial
When questioned, BWC vendors and police liability of a single critical incident
agencies state that the most common reasons
for implementing a BWC program are to improve
can far outweigh the cost of a
officer safety, increase evidence quality, reduce BWC program.
complaints and to reduce agency liability [2]. As
an added benefit, BWC footage has created an
Like a police officer, corrections officers work in
almost endless supply of real-world scenarios
an environment where critical incidents can arise
that can be used to improve the training
quickly, liability risks run high, officer and civilian
experience of new and seasoned officers.
safety is paramount, transparency is expected,
complaints are common and continued training
It goes without saying that the proliferation of
is necessary to improve services. However,
BWCs in a post-Ferguson world has created the
unlike police officers, corrections officers are
expectation that not only will police officers be
responsible for the health and welfare of the
outfitted with BWCs, but that video captured
inmates they manage 24/7, and this responsibility
during an incident will be available to the public.
requires extensive documentation in the form
Further, many agency heads have begun to
of logbook or computer entries and the use of
release BWC footage as quickly as possible
rounds tracking devices. Some facilities have
to avoid the perception of a coverup and to
gone as far as incorporating RFID tags to track
provide the officer’s perspective for comparison
staff and inmate movements in real time.
against civilian cellphone videos that are often
posted within minutes of an incident occurring
Why then have jails and correctional
or as the incident is unfolding. With all of this
institutions not adopted BWC programs at the
in mind, you would be hard pressed to find a
same rate as police agencies? One of the
police administrator who doesn’t agree that the
largest factors, without a doubt, is the cost of
reputational and financial liability of a single
starting and maintaining a BWC program. By
critical incident can far outweigh the cost of a
far the most expensive part of a BWC program
BWC program.
5 2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
is the long-term storage of video. In the
corrections field, the value of BWC data is
not just when a critical incident arises, but in
the recording of day-to-day activities, such as
making rounds, conducting searches and mass
movements. Due to these factors, the storage
costs faced by correctional intuitions are likely to
be higher per officer than per police officer.
Not to put too fine of a point on it, but the
adoption of any technology requires the cost
savings created by the implementation and
management of the new technology to outweigh
the potential liability of failing to do so. It is
almost as if the field of corrections is waiting for
a critical incident of such magnitude that the cost
of creating a BWC program is outweighed by the
cost of not having one.
Enter Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was a highly
successful financier and broker who rubbed
elbows with economic and political heavy
weights, members of the British royal family
and Hollywood elites. Epstein was also a twice
convicted sexual offender and sex trafficker
who was found dead in his cell Aug. 10, 2019.
Although Epstein’s death was ruled a suicide,
it drew interest from across the globe when
it was discovered the officers charged with
monitoring Epstein had failed to follow policy
and there were issues concerning the facility’s
tier security footage. To this day, questions and
conspiracy theories abound and the facility
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
Like a police officer, corrections
officers work in an environment
where critical incidents can
arise quickly, liability risks run
high, officer and civilian safety
is paramount, transparency
is expected, complaints are
common and continued training
is necessary to improve services.
holding Epstein was forced to accept liability for
his death.
Epstein’s death, and all of the attention that it
garnered, provides correctional institutions with
a textbook argument for the adoption of a
BWC program. Epstein was considered a high-
risk inmate due to the nature of his crime, and
statements he made related to returning to
prison, his notoriety, his wealth and at least one
previous suicide attempt while in custody.
Based on this information, Epstein was
placed in special housing where he could be
monitored and separated from other inmates
and would have made the officers assigned
to his supervision prime candidates for BWCs
as a means of reducing liability and possibly
6
saving his life. In a case like this, a robust BWC
program could have:
• Revealed policy violations committed by
officers prior to the incident, allowing for
proper training and correction (liability,
safety and training)
• Created a video record of the inmate’s
behaviors, movements and interactions (risk
management and transparency)
• Created a video record of the crime scene
and surrounding area prior to and at point of
discovery (improved evidence and training)
• Created a video record of medical and staff
response to the incident (liability, training,
transparency and safety)
• Created a video record of responding staff
and others in the area (improved evidence,
liability, training, transparency and safety)
• Ensured retention of all related
video (improved evidence, liability
and transparency)
Though this is just one case supporting the
implementation of a BWC program, it is important
to not lose sight of the fact that if BWCs were in
use in this facility, this data would be available
7 2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
for every inmate should an incident or a need
to audit practices arise. Due to this fact, the
cost of a BWC program, and the storage of
the captured data, must be measured by the
value of having this data on every inmate, not
just those considered high-risk. Based on the
success of BWCs in the field and value of BWCs
in correctional intuitions, it is easy to understand
the rationality of implementing a BWC program in
a correctional facility.
References
1. Hyland S. 2018. Body-Worn Cameras in Law
Enforcement Agencies, 2016, Bureau of
Justice Statistics.
2. Lum C, et al. 2019. Research on body-worn cameras:
What we know, what we need to know, “Criminology
& Public Safety” Volume 18, Issue1, February 2019.
Pages 93-118.
About the author
Philip J. Swift is currently serving as a city marshal in the
DFW area of Texas and has been a law enforcement officer
since 1998. He holds a Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology. He
has several published works and regularly speaks locally
and nationally regarding his research and expertise in law
enforcement and criminal culture.
The business of body cameras:
5 KEYS FOR PROCUREMENT
WRITTEN BY
Co le Z e r c o e
From crafting policy to
conducting a robust tech
evaluation, here are some
keys to success
Starting a body-worn camera (BWC) program is
a massive undertaking; facilities must craft
policy, foster personnel buy-in, revamp their
tech infrastructure, consider adding specialized
staff and more.
Luckily, if you have yet to add bodycams, you
have the benefit of avoiding some of the pitfalls
of early adopters. Despite proliferating at a
break-neck speed, believe it or not, body
cameras aren’t a new technology anymore!
There is a ton of research and learned
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
experience out there to help your facility
along on its journey.
Christian Quinn, who spent 24 years at the
Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia,
led the agency’s body-worn camera
procurement process and now serves as a
technology consultant to share his expertise
with others in need.
Here are five keys based on Quinn’s
experience with a BWC procurement process.
1 POLICY COMES FIRST
Before your facility even begins the process of
shopping around, legal requirements and policy
should come first because they will be among the
biggest factors in your assessment. When officers
turn on their camera, how often the camera will
be on, and video retention requirements will
all have a significant impact on storage cost
considerations, for example.
8
Also map out how BWC footage will be reviewed
after an incident. If you plan to be reviewing
footage consistently, you might look for features
that allow you to view in fast forward, or you
might just have to budget for more staff time to
watch BWC footage.
2 DETERMINE WHAT’S IMPORTANT
FOR YOUR FACILITY
One of the most critical components to having
a legitimate and defensible procurement plan is
setting up a scoring system that is customized to
your specific facility’s needs. Procuring the “right”
bodycam technology is not one-size-fits-all, but
the literature available offers insights to facilities
of all sizes, budgets, policies and other aspects.
Consider reaching out to a facility of a similar
size/budget and see what they did, then identify
what’s most important to you.
• Software/platform: Consider redaction
capabilities, audit trails, compatibility with
other digital media, intuitive user interface,
customization options
In addition, it is important to ask these questions
about vendor services and tech support:
• How much of a partner is the vendor?
• Do they offer 24/7, ongoing support?
• Do they provide cloud storage or are they
strictly on-premises?
• Are they helping with the initial
implementation and addressing any
integration challenges?
• Will they train your trainers?

Determine how will you weigh things like:
• Device capability: Consider battery life,
durability, ease of use
• Storage: Consider security, redundancy,
compatibility with existing systems
3 PERSONALIZE YOUR RFP
Once you’re ready to evaluate BWC tech, it’s
time to reach out to vendors. The best way to
do this is with a formalized request for proposal
(RFP) that details specifically what you’re looking
for, the scope of the work and the technical
requirements. There are a ton of vendors out

SAMPLE VENDOR EVALUATION CHART

Evaluation Criteria Weight Vendor A Vendor B Vendor C Vendor D

BWC and accessories 20% 1.125 0.9 1.2 1.275

Data storage and security 25% 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.325

Back-end solution 25% 0.525 0.675 0.9 0.6

Experience and support of

15% 0.3375 0.3 0.4875 0.4125
vendor and staff

Reasonableness of cost
15% 0 0 0 0
proposal

Total 2.1875 2.175 2.8875 2.6125

9 2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras

there; providing as much detail as you can in your
RFP helps narrow down potential candidates so
you’re not wasting your time demoing vendors
with products that don’t suit your needs. You want
to give the vendor a clear understanding of what
your facility is looking for and the criteria you’re
going to grade them on; this often results in more
personalized responses from vendors instead of
less-useful canned responses.
“If you’re looking for something specific or you
have particular needs, the more thorough you are
on the front end, the better,” Quinn said.
4 ESTABLISH ADVISORY
COMMITTEES
When it comes to successfully interviewing the
vendors and effectively evaluating the tech, it’s
vital to establish a Technical Advisory Committee
and a Selection Committee.
“For the Selection Committee, at the very least,
you want end-users – the people who are going
to be wearing the camera and using the back-end
solution,” Quinn said. “You also want somebody
who has some nexus to IT or is going to have
administrative responsibilities associated with the
program, as well as other stakeholders who may
have operational program management duties.
“Ideally, you’ll want to have a Technical
Advisory Committee; these are the folks who
are going to ask complicated technical
questions that the end-users would not ask.
Things like: ‘Is there a specific browser we
need to be on when we access your system?’
‘What cyber security parameters are there
around the program?’ ‘What’s the network
architecture of a program like this and how does
this sync up with what we currently have?’ Now,
your Technical Advisory Committee doesn’t
necessarily weigh in on final decisions, but at the
very least, they are there throughout the process,
from start to finish, to serve as a resource to the
actual Selection Committee,” Quinn advised.
Just as important as interviewing vendors is
offering a debrief to those you didn’t end up
partnering with, detailing the areas where their
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
response to the RFP was lacking and anything
else they could improve upon in the future.
“What I found is that’s going to cut down on
anything that might be adversarial after the
fact,” Quinn said. “Those salespeople, they’ve
got to go back to their bosses and explain
why they lost the deal. And if they think that
they were inappropriately excluded or scored
wrong, especially if it’s a big contract, that can
become contentious. People tend to appreciate
transparency and constructive feedback.”
5 BE PREPARED FOR
UNANTICIPATED COSTS
The true expense of a body-worn camera
program goes far beyond the devices
themselves. Don’t get blindsided. Areas to
keep in mind are:
• Infrastructure: Start-up costs, as well
as future maintenance
• Staffing: Adding temporary or permanent
personnel may be among the most
expensive components
• Ancillary costs: Such as the increased
volume of requests that often comes with
recorded video
• Data storage: During negotiations, Quinn
suggests tethering future data storage costs
to a benchmark such as the Consumer Price
Index or a fixed increment that cannot be
exceeded in any single fiscal year
• Workforce training: Initial and refresher
“You must be thoughtful at the outset and
think about what the true cost of a program is,
understanding that each year you’re going to
add a certain amount of data that has to be
stored,” Quinn said.
About the author
Cole Zercoe previously served as senior associate editor
of Corrections1. His award-winning features focus on the
complexity of policing and corrections in the modern world.
10
SAMPLE HARDWARE COMPARISON MATRIX
Camera Specs Vendor A Vendor B Vendor C Vendor D
Constant recording (at most 14 hrs @??? 6 hrs @720p; 5hrs 12+ 9 hrs HD, 11 hrs SD
demanding setting with pre-record on

Swappable spare batteries Unknown Yes, 2 swappable Unknown Unknown

Notification when battery running low Yes, at 10% Yes, alerts at 2% Yes Yes
battery life

Notification when camera recording Yes Yes, opt tone Yes Yes
and/or red LED

Standby battery life 17 hrs, 12 with all 6 hrs 12+ hrs at 480p 48 hrs
features activated and 720p;
10+ hrs at 1080p

Recharge time 3 hrs from dead 2.5 hrs 6 hrs during 2.5 hrs
upload

Video resolution Multiple up to 1080 1296, 1080, 720, 4 (low SD, high SD, 720p HD, 480p SD
480 @ 30fps low HD, high HD)
spanning 480p,
720p, 1080p

Memory 64 GB 32 GB and 64GB 64 GB 32 GB

avail

Pre- and post-record 3 minutes 30 sec pre Config from 0-120 in 90 seconds
30-sec increments at
480 and 720; and
0-60 seconds at
1080p

GPS, WIFI Yes, built in, auto Embedded; yes Unknown Will be in
records metadata: next-generation
location, time/date camera

LCD screen view No Yes, 2 inch No, requires Need companion

vendor’s module to phone app; LCD in
view video on phone Q4’17
via a wireless
connection

Docking station 10 bay 10 bay Multi-port 6 bay 6 bay

Warranty, camera and accessories 3 yr, can extend to 5 1 yr, w/extension 1 year 1 year
options; 3-year
minimum contract

Warranty, battery 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

Auto firm/software update Yes Manual, auto in future Yes Yes

Warranty, battery 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

Field tagging capability Yes Yes Yes, via cell phone ?

Black out mode Yes Yes Yes Yes

Tamper-proof erasure Yes to both. User Yes, view only Yes, cannot delete, Data encrypted in
cannot erase, alter, camera that does alter or edit video. the phone
record over video on not allow evidence Data stored on a
camera or evidence to be altered or solid-state, non-
management system deleted; tamper-free removable, multi-
memory chip media card

11 2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras

6 LESSONS LEARNED
FROM 10 YEARS OF BODY-WORN
CAMERA DEPLOYMENT
WRITTEN BY
SE R G E A N T B O B YOUNGER
& L I E U T E N A NT DAVI D PEAR SON
Facilities must create
programs that are
intentional and transparent
A strong body-worn camera program promotes
community trust and credibility, improves
accountability, and offers training opportunities
for new and seasoned officers.
The Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS) was an
early adopter of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in
late 2009. As the use and deployment of BWCs
have become more common, many states are
moving toward mandated use, as Colorado did
recently. To help agencies and facilities launch a
new body-worn camera program or continue to
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
develop an existing program, here are six lessons
we identified during the 10+ years of our body-
worn camera program.
1 ENSURE YOUR EQUIPMENT
MEETS YOUR MISSION
There are a lot of different bodycam companies
and many new ones every day that want to
provide you BWC solutions. Decide what your
mission is first before engaging with a vendor.
Here are some questions to consider:
• Are you required by law to provide
BWCs to every officer?
• When will they be required to deploy
them and how?
• Where will the video be stored?
• Who has access to the video?
• What happens if video is not captured?
• What information must be reported?
12

Decide what your mission is first
before engaging with a vendor.
Once you have answered these questions,
you will be able to better vet a vendor. We
experienced several vendors who claimed to be
able to do something only to visit some of their
customers who did not experience the promise.
Big hint: Do site visits.
2 Be aware that your program will
cost more than you expect
Many program quotes reference only the
hardware, software and cloud services.
Additional considerations could include:
• Will you have to modify your uniforms to
accommodate the cameras?
• What happens when equipment is lost,
stolen or broken?
Your camera supplier can offer support for some
of these situations but know that planning for an
extra 10%-20% cost per year is not unheard of.
3 Gain buy-in from more than
just your executive staff
Officers exposed to new BWC programs are
often concerned about the implications and
policies related to the deployment. Make sure
that, if applicable, your union is involved in the
drafting and review of policy. Spend time before
program rollout to explain to officers/deputies
the purpose and intent of the program.
4 Consider your officers’ workflow
Workflow tends to be the biggest aggravator
for officers, so really put some thought into
your workflow. But don’t give up the
necessary administrative responsibilities.
Our workflow has changed many times over
the years, from how we title videos and classify
them, to how they are reported. Take a close
look at automation and application programming
13
interfaces (APIs) offered by vendors as the
extra cost for these applications might provide
overall savings if it makes the officers’ jobs
easier and faster. They will also help reduce
human error tenfold.
5 Be aware it will take more
staff than you thought
The act of capturing, categorizing and storing a
video is only part of the story. The video alone
will not be what every downstream stakeholder
needs or wants. They will need reports,
documentation, videos and general releases
that may be required by state or local law. All
of this takes time and, consequently, staff.
FCPS added about 2.5 to 3 FTEs to manage
the redaction, copying, report review and
administration of bodycam video. This all takes
time and staffing. And, most importantly, it will
take more of your officers’ time.
6 Be willing to change when needed
Be ready to pivot and make your internal policies
and procedures flexible. One thing FCPS learned
over the years is that you will often not know
what needs to change until you know what
needs changing. Flexibility is key, particularly
with policy and process.
Be ready to answer the hard questions from
your officers and your stakeholders, and don’t
be afraid to make changes and communicate
those early and often.
About the authors
Sergeant Bob Younger is a 21-year veteran of the Fort
Collins Police Services in northern Colorado. He acts
as the technology sergeant for FCPS and consults with
other law enforcement agencies about technology and
body-worn cameras.
David Pearson recently retired as a lieutenant with the
Fort Collins Police Services. He has been a law
enforcement instructor since 1996 and has taught a
variety of topics including officer safety, SWAT tactics,
active shooter and incident command.
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
GRANT-FUNDING
CONSIDERATIONS
FOR BODY-WORN
CAMERAS

WRITTEN BY
Though surveillance cameras capture many
J o h n Hou g h interactions in correctional facilities, there
still exists a critical gap in gathering video
documentation of interactions between
How to put together a successful correctional officers and inmates that can
generate the potential for significant liability
application, whether your facility for an organization or a correctional officer.
is expanding a current program
Just as routine interactions between police
or starting from scratch officers and the community deteriorate, so too
can routine interactions between correctional
officers and inmates deteriorate and result in
complaints and liability.
Body-worn cameras (BWC) have become
contemporary standard equipment in an
Millions of dollars in competitive and matching
exponentially increasing number of police
grants are allocated to support new and
organizations across the nation, supported in
expanding BWC programs. But how do you
large part by federal grant funds. Police agencies
create a winning application?
have historically led the transition to deploying
BWCs and effectively using the data gathered
During a recent Lexipol webinar, a panel
by those BWCs. The lessons learned by police
of experts shared top tips for bodycam
agencies and police officers can ease the
funding success.
transition to BWCs for correctional facilities and
correctional officers.

2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras 14

EXPERT PANEL
• Samantha Dorm, Senior Grant
Consultant, PoliceGrantsHelp
• Rudolph Hall Jr., EdD, Assistant Chief of
Special Investigations, New York State Office
of the Attorney General Adjunct Lecturer,
John Jay College
• Sarah Wilson Handler, Vice President,
Grants, Lexipol
• Bill McAuliffe, Director, Professional
Services, Lexipol
Whether you are on the first day of your
body-worn camera journey or refining your
program after a few years, the panelists
offered key considerations in four areas to
achieve funding success:
1 ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability is a foundation block for
establishing and maintaining public trust.
Accountability is an expectation not just for
individual correctional officers, but just as much
for the entire correctional agency. Creating and
maintaining accountability must be a clearly
stated goal of the correctional agency’s BWC
program. Focusing on accountability in a grant
application process can greatly increase the
possibility of an organization being successful in
securing grant funding.
If maintaining public trust and effective
community partnerships are the goals of a
police organization in contemporary society
where policing is intensely scrutinized, then
establishing and maintaining accountability and
transparency are essential. The same is true for
correctional facilities. Over the history of BWCs,
there is ample documented and anecdotal
evidence that BWC video has been invaluable in
demonstrating accountability and transparency
to the community.
BWC video can be a critical element in
reviewing and objectively evaluating the work
performance of a correctional officer and
15
in determining if a proactive performance
improvement plan or an intervention is needed
to change a correctional officer’s work behavior,
potentially mitigating risks to the officer’s career
and liability for the organization.
BWC video can be used to identify and dissect
any patterns of behavior or problematic areas,
determine if organizational policy is realistic
and relevant in the correctional environment,
and if the actions of the correctional officers
are consistent with organizational policy. It is
irrelevant what an organizational policy may state
if the correctional officers are not performing in a
manner consistent with that policy.
2 IMPLEMENTATION
The panelists outlined several areas for facilities
to consider regarding the implementation of a
body-worn camera program, including video
storage and retention.
The volume of data created by the BWC
program will be significant and will continually
expand. That expanding data must be stored,
but the question that must be resolved is
whether the storage will be cloud-based or
server-based. There are costs and storage
space concerns associated with each option
that need to be evaluated.
Another consideration that must be examined is
the retention period for BWC data mandated by
local and/or state requirements.
3 POLICY
A BWC program demands developing
governing policies, which is a considerable
task that should be assigned to a specific
dedicated coordinator to effectively manage
the project. The project coordinator should
ensure that the BWC policies developed and
implemented are effective, consistent with
contemporary standards and practical in the
real world of the correctional officer.
The BWC policies should be consistent with
the specific current features of the BWCs being
deployed and flexible enough to adjust to
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
future upgrades and changes in features and
technology. The BWC policies should be living
documents, capable of adapting to changes in
mandated local and/or state requirements.
BWC policy should address a full spectrum of
issues, including when BWCs must be activated,
in what situations BWC video may be released
to the media or the public, and whether a
correctional officer will be allowed to review BWC
video before writing a report on an incident.
4 TRAINING
BWC training has addressed where the BWC
must be worn on an individual, when the BWC
must be activated, how to turn the BWC on and
off, and how to upload the video produced by the
BWC. That information and training is important.
But BWC video can also be an invaluable
resource in providing documentation of real-
life situations to learn in a controlled training
environment what worked well and what may
have not worked well in communication and
tactics during the situation.
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
BWC data can provide essential qualitative and
quantitative information regarding situational
awareness and de-escalation tactics during
inmate contacts that can ultimately improve
correctional officer safety. BWCs will provide a
supervisor with insight into how officers act and
react when the supervisor is not present during
an incident. As such, the BWCs can expand
training beyond the classroom into the reality
of a correctional facility environment and serve
as an effective mechanism to determine if the
classroom training is effective, to adjust the
training if appropriate, and to review and, as
necessary, improve work performance.
To be successful in a grant application, it is
critical to emphasize and specifically detail how
the BWCs will be used to enhance and improve
training. In most grants, training is an eligible
expense that can be incorporated into the budget
submission. Highlight in the grant application that
the BWC video will be utilized to raise individual
and organization performance and accountability.
16
“First and foremost, in most of these grants,
training is an eligible expense, so it allows
you to use cameras for training,” said Dorm.
“This will also help with your program’s
sustainability, as from a training standpoint,
you are using that video to raise performance
levels and accountability, so your department
is in good standing.”
GRANT AVAILABILITY
Grant funding for BWCs for correctional officers is
becoming more available. Grant funding sources
cover a full range of benefactors including private
entities, state resources, and the United States
Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial
Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program.
Grant submission periods vary considerably
through the calendar year. It is best to begin
developing the groundwork for the BWC
deployment process far in advance of the grant
program deadlines, anticipating that the process
will undoubtedly unearth questions, challenges
and time delays.
17
Many grant fund benefactors emphasize
cooperation or collaboration as a litmus test
for providing grant funds. As such, it may be
advantageous to proactively seek out and work
with other allied organizations when submitting a
grant fund request.
Watch the full webinar here.
About the author
John Hough holds an Executive Master of Public
Administration degree. He began his career in 1973
with the Los Angeles Police Department. Immediately
after graduating from the academy, he was assigned to
undercover narcotics. During his career, he worked in
Colorado as a patrol officer; field training officer; field
training and evaluation program sergeant; patrol sergeant;
special enforcement unit sergeant; adjutant to the chief
of police in Inglewood; and, in California as a sergeant;
police lieutenant; police commander; and chief of police.
He was appointed as a federal defense investigator by the
U.S. District Court for Colorado during the Terry Nichols
Oklahoma City bombing trial.
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
BEYOND THE
BODY-WORN CAMERA:
INCORPORATING
DIGITAL EVIDENCE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
INTO THE CORRECTIONS
ENVIRONMENT

Sponsored by

2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras 18


WRITTEN BY
Laur a Ne i t z e l
Corrections1 BrandFocus Staff
Integrating BWC and facility
video in a single system
enhances safety, reduces
liability, aids investigations, and
makes documentation more
accurate and efficient
Law enforcement agencies around the nation
have implemented body-worn camera programs
and learned the value of BWCs for enhanced
situational awareness and officer safety,
increased transparency, reduced liability, and
evidence collection and management.
The benefits of BWCs in corrections are the same
as in law enforcement – and then some.
Theft, assaults, illicit drugs, sexual assault, murder,
suicide, use of force, medical emergencies and
social unrest – the same crimes and incidents
that happen on the streets can happen in the
confines of a correctional facility. Like on the
outside, these crimes need to be investigated
and resolved and incidents quelled.
Correctional officers have the added challenge
of around-the-clock responsibility for the health
and welfare of the residents. Facility staff must
ensure inmates are clothed, fed and housed, get
medical attention, and have access to resources,
exercise and visitation, while assuring inmates’
civil rights. This diligence requires extensive
documentation. The delivery or nondelivery of
each of these services presents a potential risk
of conflict, complaints and false allegations that
can lead to lawsuits and other problems for the
facility and staff.
Especially in high-risk situations, having
audio and video evidence from a correctional
officer’s BWC can be instrumental in resolving
these conflicts and fending off legal action by
19
showing the officer took appropriate actions.
Here are a few instances in which having video
documentation from BWCs is especially important
in the correctional environment:
• During intake to show the inmate’s
condition, possessions, demeanor and
interactions with intake officers and others.
• When moving individuals around the facility
or transporting them outside the facility to
medical appointments or court hearings.
• During transport of high-risk inmates,
juveniles or inmates of the opposite sex.
• When conducting rounds to check
on inmates, especially individuals in
isolation, at risk of suicide or in need
of medical attention.
• During periods of unrest.
• During movements of groups of inmates.
BWCS AS INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS
Body-worn cameras are also a valuable evidence-
collection tool to document the first moments a
correctional officer happens upon a scene like an
assault or in-custody death. They can be valuable
in investigating a suicide or demonstrating an
officer took appropriate measures to resuscitate
a nonresponsive person.
An officer’s BWC can also be used to document
a crime scene, conduct interviews with sexual
assault victims and suspects, and identify
witnesses and use that evidence to encourage
them to cooperate with an investigation.
But for all the benefits of BWCs, the massive
volume of digital evidence can be unmanageable,
expensive and difficult to use.
FINDING A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK
In a recent webinar hosted by Utility, John
Kennedy of the FBI National Academy Associates
stated that “80% of evidence involved in an
investigation is now digital.”
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
Without a streamlined mechanism to process,
search, analyze, review, redact and share
digital evidence in a secure, practical, and
affordable manner, the treasure trove of evidence
collected by BWCs, as well as in-vehicle videos,
surveillance videos, etc., is locked away in
increasingly expensive storage. That means
facilities are confronted with the need to select
and implement an effective digital evidence
management (DEM) system to make the vast
volumes of digital evidence usable. Cloud-based
storage, searchability powered by artificial
intelligence, rules-based retention and offloading
of data, and the ability to associate specific
evidence with a case make it feasible and
efficient to surface crucial information from the
fathomless ocean of data.
To stay future-proof and get the most value
from their BWC program and other digital
surveillance tools, facilities should consider
implementing a cloud-based digital evidence
management system like Polaris by Utility.
INTEGRATING ADVANCED BWC
TECHNOLOGY WITH A DIGITAL
EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Like other BWC systems, Utility’s advanced
body-worn camera system, EOS, automatically
offloads audio, video and photos to scalable,
CJIS-compliant cloud storage. But when paired
with Polaris, Utility’s DEM system, it can facilitate
digital evidence collection, case management
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
and data sharing and provide real-time
situational awareness that improves facility,
officer and inmate safety.
THE ROLE OF DIGITAL EVIDENCE
MANAGEMENT IN CORRECTIONS
Designed to enable agencies to gather disparate
digital evidence into one unified view, Polaris is a
virtual command center that provides a seamless
transfer of information between EOS and other
devices like smartphones, tablets and computers.
Audio, video and photos from an officer’s EOS
device can also be integrated with other types
of data, including documents, photos, metadata,
phone data and security camera footage, and
displayed in one unified view.
The integration of the EOS device with the
Polaris DEMS offers huge benefits not only for
evidence collection and management, but also
for real-time situational awareness. During or
immediately after a critical incident like inmate-
on-inmate violence, corrections officers need
to quickly identify participants and witnesses.
Being able to instantaneously access and
review officers’ video becomes a safety
concern for staff and other inmates.
Wardens, unit managers, jail commanders and
others with the requisite level of permission
can review an officer’s EOS video and facility
video simultaneously in the same interface. The
interface also includes live map tracking of GPS
20
data from the EOS device for tracking officer
locations within the facility. Supervisors can even
start recording remotely and initiate live streams
from an ongoing event in the field.
This enables authorized personnel like wardens,
unit managers and even medical personnel to
review a critical incident and make intelligence-
led decisions based on real-time information.
Other assistive features of EOS, like automatic
activation, are highly configurable in Polaris to
conform to policy and begin automatic recording
based on certain triggers or within certain
geofenced locations. If a wearer goes prone
for a certain amount of time, starts running or
unholsters a less lethal device, for instance, EOS
will automatically start recording, and Polaris will
send an alert to other nearby officers.
QUICK AND SECURE
REDACTION AND RELEASE
In the wake of a critical incident, law enforcement
and correctional facilities are expected to quickly
release critical footage. Failing to do so in a
timely manner is often seen as an attempt to
cover up wrongdoing.
Polaris makes releasing critical footage quick and
easy by automatically redacting video and audio
evidence before it’s shared or exported.
21
THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE
Bodycams have evolved far beyond their use
as an audio and video recording and playback
device. Today, smart BWC technology like EOS,
combined with a digital evidence management
system like Polaris, make it possible for
correctional facilities to track and document
officer movements and actions, stay apprised
of critical developments in real time, release
information to prosecutors and the public, ensure
the veracity of evidence through an airtight chain
of custody, and do it all efficiently and effectively.
As correctional facilities increasingly implement
BWC programs, leaders must consider the
bodycam as an essential component of a holistic
digital evidence management system that not
only makes the collection and management of
evidence more efficient and effective, but also
helps fulfill a top responsibility – ensuring a safe
environment for officers and inmates alike.
About the author
Laura Neitzel is director of branded content
for Lexipol, where she produces written and
multimedia branded content of relevance
to a public safety audience, including law
enforcement, fire, EMS and corrections.
2023 Guide to Body-Worn Cameras
About the sponsor
Utility, Inc. is an innovative technology company creating groundbreaking digital
systems for frontline professions that depend on speed, accuracy and transparency in
their work. Utility’s solutions include body cameras and in-car video devices to capture
and transfer digital multimedia evidence to a cloud-based platform, where it is securely
stored and managed.

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