When officers must record
Under Section 4A, an officer must activate a body-worn camera before or at the earliest safe opportunity during an arrest, search, use of force, custodial transfer, or any interaction where the officer reasonably anticipates escalation. An officer may delay or stop recording only where activation would create an immediate safety risk, reveal a protected confidential source, expose someone receiving sensitive medical or legal assistance, or breach another lawful privacy safeguard — and any delay, interruption or failure to record must be documented with reasons. Deliberate tampering, deletion or unjustified non-recording remains subject to disciplinary and criminal law.
How long footage is kept
Routine footage is securely retained for at least 90 days (Section 4B). Footage connected with a complaint, investigation, prosecution, inquest, disclosure request or reasonably anticipated legal proceeding is preserved until that matter and any limitation period have ended.
Requesting footage of yourself
If you were recorded, you may request access to that footage under applicable rights and information law (Section 4C). Access may be limited only to protect safety, a child, a victim, a confidential source, an active investigation, legal privilege, or another substantial lawful interest, and reasons will be given where practicable. Public release beyond that is permitted only by lawful order, or by the Commission where necessary for accountability and proportionate to privacy interests, with redaction or anonymisation used wherever reasonably practicable.
When force may be used
Section 5A permits an officer to discharge a duty firearm only where the officer reasonably believes there is an imminent risk of death or serious injury to the officer or another person, no other reasonable option is available in the time presented, and the discharge is necessary and proportionate. This does not enlarge any power to use force beyond the reasonable-force provisions of the Public Disorder Act 2025.
If you want to raise a concern
Use the Make a Complaint page to tell the Commission about a firearm discharge, a body-worn camera failure, or a footage access decision you believe was wrong.