Monterey County Grand Jury • 2015-2016

The Slowly Expanding Use of Body-worn Video Cameras by Law Enforcement Agencies in Monterey County Photo courtesy of*

Published: July 07, 2016 49 pages
View Original PDF

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F21

Findings and Recommendations 31 findings

F1
The use of BWCs responds to public demands for greater law enforcement transparency.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
As part of the Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department's next annual budget request (or before) the Department shall apply to the Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council for funds sufficient to purchase body-worn cameras of the department's choosing for each officer and for a secure data storage system with adequate capacity to store the data recorded by those cameras.
F2
BWCs, when recording lawful police conduct, provide positive risk management benefits.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
As part of the Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department's next annual budget allocation (or before) the Carmel-By-The-Sea City Council shall provide funds sufficient to enable the Police Department to purchase body-worn cameras of the department's choosing for each officer and for a secure data storage system with adequate capacity to store the data recorded by those cameras.
F3
BWC recordings can serve as a valuable officer training resource.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department shall adopt a written body-worn camera policy, which at a minimum includes the "best practices" set forth in California Penal Code 832.18.
F4
Law enforcement best practices now include law enforcement's use of BWCs when funds have been made available for their purchase and that of required data storage capacity.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The chief of the Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel to review the legal sufficiency of the department's proposed body-worn camera policy before it is adopted by the department.
F5
At a minimum in California, written department policies must comply with the requirements of Penal Code Section 832.18. (Appendix 3)
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The chief of the Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel at least annually to review the then current state laws relating to the use of body-worn cameras and the storage of their recordings, and to revise department policy if necessary to comply with such laws.
F6
In the absence of other sources of funding, each City Council must make sufficient funds available to its police department before the department can purchase BWCs for its officers and a secure storage system for resulting BWC recordings.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
The Del Rey Oaks Police Department shall provide body-worn cameras for each of its officers promptly after they receive the cameras they have ordered.
F7
In the absence of other sources of funding, the county Board of Supervisors must make sufficient funds available to its Sheriff's department before the department can purchase BWCs for its deputies and a secure storage system for resulting BWC recordings. The BODYCAM® BWC described in this report stores recordings on a removable
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
The Del Rey Oaks Police Department shall adopt a written body-worn camera policy, which at a minimum includes the "best practices" set forth in California Penal Code 832.18.
F8
Micro-SD memory card. The BODYCAM® BWC described in this report enables any user to delete one or
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
The chief of the Del Rey Oaks Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel to review the legal sufficiency of the department's proposed body-worn camera policy before it is adopted by the department.
F9
all recorded videos unless those camera functions are disabled by an appropriately trained BODYCAM ® administrator or a manufacturer's representative.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9
The chief of the Del Rey Oaks Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel at least annually to review the then current state laws relating to the use of body-worn cameras and the storage of their recordings, and to revise department policy if necessary to comply with such laws. The chief of the Greenfield Police Department shall meet with the department's
F10
Because the BODYCAM ® BWC allows the Micro-SD card to be removed from the camera, it is possible for an officer to remove and read the card on an unauthorized computer and to delete or modify recorded data, contrary to the specific prohibitions of Penal Code section 832.18.
Related Recommendations (1)
R10
legal counsel as soon as the meeting can be arranged to review the legal sufficiency of the department's existing body-worn camera policy and to revise the policy to include, at a minimum, the "best practices" set forth in California Penal Code 832.18.
F11
The Carmel Police Department does not provide BWCs for its officers' use although the department favors their use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R11
The chief of the Greenfield Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel at least annually to review the then-current state law relating to the use of body-worn cameras and the storage of their recordings, and to revise department policy if necessary to comply with such laws.
F12
The Del Rey Oaks Police Department is in the process of ordering BWCs for its officers' use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R12
The chief of the Gonzales Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel as soon as the meeting can be arranged to review the legal sufficiency of the department's existing body-worn camera policy and to revise the policy to include, at a minimum, the "best practices" set forth in California Penal Code 832.18.
F13
The Greenfield Police Department provides BWCs for its officers' use in accordance with a written department policy.
Related Recommendations (1)
R13
The chief of the Gonzales Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel at least annually to review the then-current state law relating to the use of body-worn cameras and the storage of their recordings, and to revise department policy if necessary to comply with such laws.
F14
The Greenfield Police Department's written BWC policy does not meet all of the requirements of Penal Code Section 832.18.
Related Recommendations (1)
R14
The chief of the Gonzales Police Department shall take all steps necessary to ensure that each BODYCAM camera's settings are adjusted by an appropriately trained senior officer to prevent all officers using the BODYCAM® cameras from deleting or in any way altering the BWC video recordings at any time before the recordings are downloaded to the system's secure server.
F15
The Gonzales Police Department provides BWCs for its officers' use in accordance with a written department policy regarding their use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R15
The chief of the Gonzales Police Department shall take all steps necessary to ensure that the Department's written body-worn camera policy specifically prohibits officers using the BODYCAM cameras from removing the flash memory card from the camera at any time before the recordings are downloaded to the system's secure server.
F16
The Gonzales Police Department's written BWC policy does not meet all of the requirements of Penal Code Section 832.18.
Related Recommendations (1)
R16
The chief of the King City Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel as soon as the meeting can be arranged to review the legal sufficiency of the department's existing body-worn camera policy and to revise the policy to include, at a minimum, the "best practices" set forth in California Penal Code 832.18.
F17
The Gonzales Police Department uses the BODYCAM® BWC.
Related Recommendations (1)
R17
The chief of the King City Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel at least annually to review the then-current state law relating to the use of body-worn cameras and the storage of their recordings, and to revise department policy if necessary to comply with such laws.
F18
The King City Police Department provides BWCs for its officers' use in accordance with a written department policy regarding their use. The King City Police Department's written BWC policy does not meet all of the
Related Recommendations (1)
R18
The chief of the King City Police Department shall take all steps necessary to ensure that each BODYCAM camera's settings are adjusted by an appropriately trained senior officer to prevent all officers using the BODYCAM cameras from deleting or in any way altering video recordings at any time before the recordings are downloaded to the system's secure server. The chief of the King City Police Department shall take all steps necessary to
F19
requirements of Penal Code Section 832.18. The King City Police Department uses the BODYCAM® BWC.
Related Recommendations (1)
R19
ensure that the Department's written body-worn camera policy specifically prohibits officers using the BODYCAM cameras from removing the flash memory card from the camera at any time before the recordings are downloaded to the system's secure server.
F20
F21. The Marina Police Department does not provide BWCs for its officers' use, but the department favors their use and plans to acquire them.
Related Recommendations (1)
R20
As part of the Marina Police Department's next annual budget request (or before) the Department shall apply to the Marina City Council for funds sufficient to purchase body-worn cameras of the department's choosing for each officer and for a secure data storage system with adequate capacity to store the data recorded by those cameras.
F22
The City of Monterey Police Department is currently in the process of ordering BWCs for its officers' use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R22
The Marina Police Department shall adopt a written body-worn camera policy, which at a minimum includes the "best practices" set forth in California Penal Code 832.18.
F23
The Monterey County Sheriff's Department does not provide BWCs for its deputies' use. The Monterey Regional Airport Police Department provides BWCs for its officers'
Related Recommendations (1)
R23
The chief of the Marina Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel to review the legal sufficiency of the department's proposed body-worn camera policy before it is adopted by the department.
F24
use in accordance with an official, but only oral, department policy regarding their use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R24
The chief of the Marina Police Department shall meet with the department's legal counsel at least annually to review the then-current state laws relating to the use of body-worn cameras and the storage of their recordings, and to revise department policy if necessary to comply with such laws.
F25
The Monterey Regional Airport Police Department's BWC policy does not meet all of the requirements of Penal Code Section 832.18.
Related Recommendations (1)
R25
The City of Monterey Police Department shall adopt a written body-worn camera policy, which at a minimum includes the "best practices" set forth in California Penal Code 832.18. The chief of the City of Monterey Police Department shall meet with the
F26
The Pacific Grove Police Department does not provide BWCs for its officers' use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R26
department's legal counsel to review the legal sufficiency of the department's proposed body-worn camera policy before it is adopted by the department. The chief of the City of Monterey Police Department shall meet with the
F27
The Salinas Police Department provides BWCs for its officers' use in accordance with a written department policy regarding their use. The Salinas Police Department's written BWC policy does not meet all of the
Related Recommendations (1)
R27
department's legal counsel at least annually to review the then-current state laws relating to the use of body-worn cameras and the storage of their recordings, and to revise department policy if necessary to comply with such laws.
F28
requirements of Penal Code Section 832.18.
Related Recommendations (1)
R28
As part of the Sheriff's Department's next annual budget request (or before) the Sheriff's Department shall apply to the County Board of Supervisors for funds sufficient to purchase body-worn cameras of the department's choosing for each officer and for a secure data storage system with adequate capacity to store the data recorded by those cameras.
F29
The Sand City Police Department does not provide BWCs for its officers' use, although the department favors their use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R29
As part of the Sheriff's next annual budget allocation (or before) the County Board of Supervisors shall provide funds sufficient to enable the Sheriff's Department to purchase body-worn cameras of the department's choosing for each officer and for a secure data storage system with adequate capacity to store the data recorded by those cameras.
F30
The Seaside Police Department does not provide BWCs for its officers' use, although the department favors their use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R30
The Sheriff's Department shall adopt a written body-worn camera policy, which at a minimum includes the "best practices" set forth in California Penal Code 832.18. The Sheriff of Monterey County shall meet with the department's legal counsel to
F31
The Soledad Police Department provides BWCs for its officers' use.
Related Recommendations (1)
R31
review the legal sufficiency of the department's proposed body-worn camera policy before it is adopted by the department.
F32
The Soledad Police Department's draft written BWC policy does not meet all of the requirements of Penal Code Section 832.18. The Soledad Police Department uses the BODYCAM® BWC.
Related Recommendations (1)
R32
The Sheriff shall meet with the department's legal counsel at least annually to review the then-current state laws relating to the use of body-worn cameras and the storage of their recordings, and to revise department policy if necessary to comply with such laws.

Additional Recommendations 25

These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.

* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.