NYPD body-worn camera footage policy standardized, must be released within 30 days of incident
The mayor's office says that this standard applies specifically to when an officer fires their weapon and injures a civilian or when an officer uses force that results in serious injury or death.
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The NYPD is formally requiring the release of body-worn camera footage within 30 days of a critical incident, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Tuesday.
The mayor's office says that this standard applies specifically to when an officer fires their weapon and injures a civilian or when an officer uses force that results in serious injury or death.
"Transparency and accountability are the building blocks of public safety," Mamdani said. "By codifying the timely release of body-worn camera footage, we are ensuring that New Yorkers receive timely information about critical incidents."
While this practice has been regularly followed under Tisch, it is now a formal department-wide requirement.
"This formal commitment to release footage within 30 days of a critical incident is a continuation of my pledge to ensure transparency regarding the work of the department," she said.
Additionally, all uniformed members of the department who are ranked below deputy inspector are now required to wear body-worn cameras.
Every NYPD officer is required to activate their cameras before taking any authoritative action.
The Police Benevolent Association says this policy doesn't change much for officers, noting the department has already been releasing footage within that timeframe for years.
"What is far more important is the way that elected leaders respond when a police officer is involved in a dangerous and chaotic situation. It is critical that there is no rush to judgement before all the facts are in," said Patrick Hendry, president of the PBA.
