IA Investigations and Body-Worn Cameras

Body-worn cameras, often implemented by agencies facing public concerns around officer-involved shootings and other excessive use of force claims, have proven to be an important tool for IA investigators and supervisors on a much broader scale. The investigative value of BWC footage in determining case facts is clearly beneficial for those conducting IA investigations of complaints generated both internally and by members of the public. 

Simply put, BWC footage often proves helpful in minimizing the number of IA cases that boil down to one person’s word against the other and administrative findings of “inconclusive” or “unsustained.” Furthermore, the footage can prove beneficial in those investigations that do not involve interactions that become the center of media attention. The footage can be extremely valuable in instances where early intervention, coaching and re-training, rather than significant discipline or termination, are the appropriate management remedies. 

In this two-hour webinar, Attorney Matt Dolan will address issues including:

• Random audits of BWC footage that are fair to officers and minimize the appearance of targeting or retaliation
• Creating policies to address an officer’s option to review footage before writing reports or making statements
• Public release of BWC footage—standard operating procedure versus emergency plan for protection of life and property
• Utilizing BWC footage as a tool of early warning, early intervention, and re-training for supervisors