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Policy 435Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/28, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentBody Worn Cameras - 1Body Worn Cameras 435.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The Santa Ana Police Department recognizes that audio and video recording of contacts between Department members and the public can provide an objective record of these events. The use of a recording system assists Department personnel in the performance of their official police duties by providing a record of enforcement and investigative contacts. A recording of an event or contact assists the Department in evaluating and improving Department practices, tactics, strategy, officer training and safety practices, and community policing objectives. The Department provides Body Worn Cameras (BWC) to its members for use while on- duty. The primary purpose and objective of the BWC Program is to collect evidence for use in criminal investigations, including identifying and apprehending offenders and obtaining, collecting, and preserving evidence for use in criminal prosecutions. These recorders will also assist members in the performance of their official police duties by providing audio and video records of contacts. Except as provided in this policy, all enforcement and investigative contacts, as well as all contacts specifically related to a call for service, will be recorded to collect evidence for use in criminal investigations, including identifying and apprehending offenders, and obtaining, collecting and preserving evidence for use in criminal prosecutions. These recordings will also promote accountability and enhance public trust and confidence in the actions of Department members. While recordings obtained from a BWC provide an objective record of these events, it is understood video recordings captured by a BWC (or any recording device) do not necessarily reflect the experience or state of mind of the individual employee(s) in a given incident. Further, video cameras generally record only a portion of an incident, may lack the context of the event and may not faithfully record light levels leaving out significant aspects of an incident. Also, video is a two-dimensional representation of an incident from a particular perspective that may distort distance and other factors associated with depth of field. A video recording has limitations and may depict events differently than the events recalled by the involved employee and does not present the incident as viewed through human eyes. Differences between human and mechanical processing of information prevent a video from exactly matching what a person sees and hears during a critical confrontation. These differences have to do with field of view, focus of attention, and interpretation. It is understood the BWC may capture information that may not have been heard and/or observed by the involved employee and may not capture information observed by the employee. 435.2 DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITIES Prior to going into service, each employee trained to operate and issued a BWC is responsible for ensuring that the BWC is in proper working order by inspecting and testing the BWC. Personnel assigned to field and enforcement duties during regular and extra duty assignments shall wear Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Policy Manual Body Worn Cameras Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/28, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentBody Worn Cameras - 2the BWC on their person in a forward facing position above the midline torso to maximize the recording field of view. Personnel are required to upload their digital audio/video files at the end of each work shift, unless otherwise approved by a supervisor. Recordings made at extra duty events will be uploaded on or prior to the employee's next work shift unless otherwise approved by a supervisor. POLICY EXCEPTIONS Exclusive to Motor Officers and Canine Officers ONLY: Motor Officers and Canine Officers may, at minimum, intermittently upload their BWC footage once per on-duty work week, or as their respective workloads permit during any given shift. On the last day of their respective work week, a Motor Officer or Canine Officer may find it necessary to leave their issued BWC docked at the station for proper uploading and charging, and shall resume normal operation on their first day back to work. No Motor Officer or Canine Officer shall go for more than one (1) on-duty work week without uploading BWC footage.Supervisor approval is not necessary for this exception. A supervisor may reasonably check for policy compliance not to be considered an audit. The BWC is the responsibility of the employee and will be used with reasonable care to ensure proper functioning and reliability. When an employee determines a BWC is not in proper working order, the employee shall notify a supervisor as soon as practicable to obtain a replacement BWC. The employee shall also send an email to the BWC Coordinator so arrangements for immediate replacement can be made. If the BWC Coordinator is not available for immediate replacement, the affected officer (regardless of officer/unit assignment) will immediately report to the on-duty watch commander for temporary issuance of a loaner BWC. At no time will any officer go into the field to conduct law enforcement duties or investigative services, including overtime assignments at special events without a BWC. 435.2.1 ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITIES Members working plain-clothes assignments may utilize a department issued BWC when they believe such a device may be beneficial and in accordance with this policy. All non-uniformed personnel who are engaging in pre-planned enforcement activities such as serving a search or arrest warrant or conducting or participating in parole/probation searches shall utilize a BWC, unless the use of the BWC unreasonably compromises the identity of undercover officers or jeopardizes tactics or if the officer/detective is