- 1. There is hereby created within the division of state police a New York state police body-worn cameras program. The purpose of the program is to increase accountability and evidence for law enforcement and the residents of the state by providing body-worn cameras to all state police officers while on patrol.
2. The division of state police shall provide body-worn cameras, to be worn by officers at all times, while on patrol. Such cameras shall record:
- (a) immediately before an officer exits a patrol vehicle to interact with a person or situation, even if there is a dash camera inside such vehicle which might also be recording the interaction;
- (b) all uses of force, including any physical aggression and use of a non-lethal or lethal weapon;
- (c) all arrests and summonses;
- (d) all interactions with people suspected of criminal activity;
- (e) all searches of persons and property;
- (f) any call to a crime in progress;
- (g) investigative actions where there are interactions with members of the public;
- (h) any interaction with an emotionally disturbed person; and
- (i) any instances where officers feel any imminent danger or the need to document their time on duty.
- 3. The attorney general may investigate any instance where body cameras fail to record an event pursuant to this section.
4. At the discretion of the officer, body-worn cameras may not record:
- (a) sensitive encounters, including but not limited to speaking with a confidential informant, or conducting a strip search; or
- (b) when a member of the public asks such officer to turn off the camera; provided, however, such officer may continue recording if he or she thinks a record of that interaction should be generated.
5. The division of state police shall preserve recordings of such body-worn cameras and perform all upkeep on equipment used in such body-worn cameras. Such duties shall include:
- (a) creating a secure record of all instances where there is recorded video or audio footage;
- (b) ensuring officers have sufficient storage capacity on their cameras to allow for the recording of interactions required by this section; and
- (c) ensuring officers have access to body-worn cameras for the recording of instances required by this section.