Body-Worn Cameras

Body-worn cameras were deployed in December 2020 and are now in use.

The Edina Police Department has used in-squad, or “dash cam” footage for many years. The footage has proved to be an excellent tool for collecting evidence, documenting encounters and providing enhanced transparency and accountability. Body-worn cameras will dramatically expand this capability.

All uniformed officers will wear a body camera.

During some encounters, officers will use their discretion when deciding whether or not to record. Officers are required to continue recording once started until the conclusion of the incident, or until it becomes apparent that additional recording is unlikely to capture information having evidentiary value. Officers will document in their reports when a video is recorded, any instances when video was not recorded when it should have been and any time a recording is stopped prior to the end of an incident.

Officers are required to record when they are involved in:

• Pursuit
• Traffic stop
• Investigative stop of a pedestrian
• Searches, seizures and arrests
• Use of force
• Adversarial, hostile or confrontational encounters
• Any other activities likely to yield information having evidentiary value

Recording is not required during medical situations unless there is a reason to use the camera to collect evidence.

Body-worn cameras can be used to record any police encounter. This includes inside private homes and other sensitive areas where officers must respond. Recording is not required during medical situations unless there is a reason to use the camera to collect evidence. It should be noted that most body-worn camera data is considered private under Minnesota law and thus not accessible to third parties who are not directly involved in the situation.

Officers don’t have to tell people that a body-worn camera is being operated or that the individuals are being recorded. Officers will wear the body cameras on the front of their uniform in plain sight. People should assume police officers with body-worn cameras are recording. It’s okay to ask the officer if the camera is on or to ask the officer to turn on the camera.

Officers are required to continue recording once started until the conclusion of the incident, or until it becomes apparent that additional recording is unlikely to capture information having evidentiary value. In many cases, officers will not be able to end a recording solely based on an individual’s request. If a specific privacy concern outweighs any legitimate law enforcement interest in continued recording, an officer may consider a request to stop recording.

Body-worn cameras will be recording whenever officers are involved in:

• Pursuit
• Traffic stop
• Investigative stop of a pedestrian
• Searches, seizures and arrests
• Use of force
• Adversarial, hostile or confrontational encounters
• Any other activities likely to yield information having evidentiary value