Expanded role for body worn cameras

ACT Policing body worn camera

Changes to legislation that are in effect from 11 February 2022 sees wider regular use of body-worn-cameras (BWCs) by ACT Policing officers.   

The majority of ACT Policing officers were issued BWCs in 2019 and they have helped capture real-time records of critical events, gather evidence and record public interactions with police. 

Importantly, the use of BWCs by police has also assisted with issues of accountability and transparency in relation to police actions. 

The changes that have come into effect require police to use their BWCs when interacting with members of the public in most circumstances, in both public and in private settings.  

An example of locations where police are now permitted to film include when a person is stopped by police while driving their car, or when an officer comes into a home in response to a domestic incident. 

As part of police use of BWCs, officers will (when reasonably able to): 

  • wear their BWC where they are easily seen; 
  • tell a person that their BWC is recording – unless it’s not possible for them to do so (for example when in a crowded public place); 
  • inform a person that they are recording if asked;  
  • inform a person if they are not recording, and why; and 
  • record the interaction if a person asks for it to be recorded. 

ACT Policing is confident that these changes will benefit the ACT community and assist our officers in carrying out their duties in a way that continues our high-quality policing services to the ACT.

ACT Policing Online News

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