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<br />CITY OF NEW BRIGHTON <br />USE OF BODY-WORN CAMERAS POLICY <br /> <br />Purpose <br />The primary purpose of using body-worn-cameras (BWCs) is to capture evidence arising from <br />police-citizen encounters. This policy sets forth guidelines governing the use of BWCs and <br />administering the data that results. Compliance with these guidelines is mandatory, but it is <br />recognized that officers must also attend to other primary duties and the safety of all concerned, <br />sometimes in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving. <br /> <br />Policy <br />It is the policy of this department to authorize and require the use of department-issued BWCs as <br />set forth below, and to administer BWC data as provided by law. <br /> <br />Scope <br />This policy governs the use of BWCs in the course of official duties. It does not apply to the use <br />of squad-based (dash-cam) recording systems. The chief or chief’s designee may supersede this <br />policy by providing specific instructions for BWC use to individual officers, or providing <br />specific instructions pertaining to particular events or classes of events, including but not limited <br />to political rallies and demonstrations. The chief or designee may also provide specific <br />instructions or standard operating procedures for BWC use to officers assigned to specialized <br />details, such as carrying out duties in courts or guarding prisoners or patients in hospitals and <br />mental health facilities. <br /> <br />Definitions <br />The following phrases have special meanings as used in this policy: <br /> <br />A. MGDPA or Data Practices Act refers to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, <br />Minn. Stat. § 13.01, et seq. <br /> <br />B. Records Retention Schedule refers to the General Records Retention Schedule for <br />Minnesota Cities. <br /> <br />C. Law enforcement-related information means information captured or available for <br />capture by use of a BWC that has evidentiary value because it documents events with <br />respect to a stop, arrest, search, citation, or charging decision. <br /> <br />D. Evidentiary value means that the information may be useful as proof in a criminal <br />prosecution, related civil or administrative proceeding, further investigation of an actual <br />or suspected criminal act, or in considering an allegation against a law enforcement <br />agency or officer. <br /> <br />E. General citizen contact means an informal encounter with a citizen that is not and does <br />not become law enforcement-related or adversarial, and a recording of the event would <br />not yield information relevant to an ongoing investigation. Examples include, but are not