Policy Text
Policy
434San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/01, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentBody-Worn Cameras - 1Body-Worn Cameras
434.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for the use of a body-worn camera (BWC) by
members of this department and for the access, use, and retention of department BWC media.
The provisions of this policy, including notice, documentation, access, and retention, also apply
to other portable audio/video recording devices used by members, where applicable.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department recognizes that the video recording of contacts between
Department personnel and the public provides a record of these events and that the use of a
recording system complements field personnel in the performance of their duties by providing
a video record of enforcement and investigative field contact which can enhance criminal
prosecution and limit civil liability.
A video recording of an event or contact enables the delivery of timely, relevant, and appropriate
training to maximize safety for San Luis Obispo Police Department personnel and improve the
delivery of Police Services to the community.
While recordings obtained from video recorders provide an objective record of the events, it is
understood that video recordings do not necessarily reflect the experience or state of mind of
the individual member(s) in a given incident. Moreover, the recordings, especially video, have
limitations and may depict events differently from the events recalled by the involved member(s).
Specifically, it is understood that the recording device will capture information that may not have
been heard and/or observed by the involved member and that the involved member may see and
hear information that may not be captured on video.
This policy does not apply to mobile audio/video (MAV) recordings, interviews, or interrogations
conducted at any San Luis Obispo Police Department facility, authorized undercover operations,
wiretaps, or eavesdropping (concealed listening devices).
434.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Definitions related to this policy include:
Activate - To place a BWC in active mode (also called event mode). In active mode, the BWC
records both video and audio.
BWC media - The video, audio, and images captured by department BWCs and the associated
metadata.
BWC media systems - Any software, including web-based programs and mobile applications,
used by the Department to upload/download, store, view, transfer, and otherwise maintain BWC
media.
Deactivate - To turn off the recording device or BWC.
Event - A general term referring to a set of circumstances that may, but does not necessarily,
correlate directly to a single public safety incident.
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Body-Worn Cameras
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/01, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentBody-Worn Cameras - 2434.2 POLICY
It is the policy of the Department to use BWCs and BWC media for evidence collection and to
accurately document events in a way that promotes member safety and department accountability
and transparency while also protecting the privacy of members of the public.
A violation of this policy subjects the member to discipline (Penal Code § 832.18) (see the
Personnel Complaints Policy).
434.3 RESPONSIBILITIES
434.3.1 BWC COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES
The Chief of Police or the authorized designee should delegate certain responsibilities to a BWC
coordinator.
The responsibilities of the coordinator or the authorized designee include (Penal Code § 832.18):
(a)Serving as a liaison between the Department and the BWC manufacturer/distributor
and any third-party media storage vendor.
(b)Developing inventory procedures for issuing and tracking BWC equipment, including
properly marking BWCs as property of the Department and recording the date each
BWC is placed into or taken out of service.
(c)Assisting with troubleshooting and maintenance of BWC equipment and media
systems and, when necessary, coordinating the repair or replacement of BWCs.
1.All equipment and system malfunctions and their resolutions should be
documented, and maintenance and repair records should be maintained for all
BWCs.
(d)Managing BWC media systems so that:
1.Access is limited to the minimum necessary authorized users and user
privileges are restricted to those necessary for the member to conduct assigned
department duties.
2.Security requirements, such as two-factor authentication and appropriate
password parameters, are in place for user credentials.
(e)Configuring BWC media systems, or developing manual procedures, so that media
is appropriately categorized and retained according to the event type tagged by
members.
(f)Retaining audit logs or records of all access, alteration, and deletion of BWC media and
media systems, and conducting periodic audits to ensure compliance with applicable
laws, regulations, and department policy.
(g)Developing and updating BWC training for members who are assigned a BWC or
given access to BWC media systems.
(h)Coordinating with the Records Supervisor to (see the Records Bureau and Records
Maintenance and Release policies):
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Body-Worn Cameras
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/01, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentBody-Worn Cameras - 31.Determine and apply proper retention periods to BWC media. Agency legal
counsel should