Recording is required to continue once started “until the conclusion of the incident or encounter,” or when determined necessary by a supervisor. For example, recording might stop when no evidence is likely to continue to be collected. Officers must document in reports when and why their camera was turned off .

See “How often will officers will be recording?”

Body-worn cameras will be recording whenever officers are involved in, become involved in, or witness other officers of the department involved in:

• A pursuit
• Limited searches for weapons during lawful investigatory stops
• Traffic stop of a motorist
• Investigative stop of a pedestrian
• Searches, seizures and arrests
• Response to resistance incidents
• Any encounter that becomes in any way hostile or confrontational (adversarial contact)
• During other activities likely to yield information having evidentiary value

• Those seeking access to body-worn camera data should contact the police department to request to view data.
• If a police investigation is not active, individuals can review recorded body-worn camera data only if they are in the recorded video. Other data subjects in the video will be blurred out (redacted). Redaction will not affect or compromise the original video. This practice is consistent with the policy currently in place for the release of police reports.
• Redacted copies of releasable videos can be requested only by individuals who are in the recorded video.
• In situations where the interests of public safety are served by an early release of a video, the police chief and city manager may authorize its release.

Videos are downloaded and stored in a cloud-based storage vault provided by the camera’s manufacturer. All recordings must be saved a minimum of 90 days. The police department follows the Minnesota Data Practice law that guides the duration of storage for all incident types. Some storage requirements are longer than 90 days.

Visit the Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statues website for more information.

The primary purpose of the St. Louis Park Police Department’s body-worn camera program is to:

• Capture evidence from police-citizen contacts.
• Help ensure accurate reports.
• Allow for transparency and accountability in policing and protect the civil rights of the community.