Signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes the "New York state police body-worn camera program."

Highlights:

• Requires state police divisions to provide their officers body-worn cameras with sufficient storage capacity to record instances specified by this bill (Sec.1). 

• Requires police officers to wear the body-worn cameras while on patrol to record events including, but not limited to (Sec.1):

• All times in which an officer exits a patrol vehicle to interact with any person or situation;

• All interactions with people suspected of criminal activity;

• All interactions with an emotionally disturbed person;

• All calls to crimes in progress;

• All uses of force; 

• All arrests;

• All searches of persons or property; and 

• All instances in which officers feel any imminent danger or the need to document their time on duty. 

• Authorizes the attorney general to investigate any instances where body cameras fail to record any of these events (Sec.1).  

• Specifies that body cameras may not record sensitive encounters, including but not limited to, speaking with a confidential informant or conducting a strip search (Sec. 1).

• Requires state police divisions to preserve video and audio recordings generated by body-worn cameras (Sec.1).

Full Bill Text