Privacy and BWV

Under data protection legislation, officers must inform people that they’re being filmed and will do so unless the situation means it’s not possible.

Otherwise you’ll know you’re being recorded when the camera has flashing red lights in the centre of it.

Officers don’t have to get your consent to be filmed.

How footage is handled

Footage is recorded onto internal storage inside the camera. The cameras have no ability to delete or edit the footage.

When an officer docks their camera to charge the battery, the footage is automatically uploaded to secure servers.

Recordings that aren’t categorised as required for evidence at court or in other legal proceedings will be automatically deleted within 31 days.

The footage that’s retained as evidence is regularly reviewed in line with guidance from the Information Commissioner.

Footage is only kept as evidence, for disclosure, or for other legitimate policing purposes according to the Management of Police Information. It is not kept for intelligence.

Access to footage

The force are the data controllers of footage and as such ‘own’ it.

Recorded material counts as ‘police information’ so you can request access to it under data protection law, by making a Right to Access Request (also known as a Subject Access Request).