Advertisement

Homeland Security to issue body camera guidelines for multiple departments

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has instructed the various departments within the agency -- which include Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- to develop polices on body cameras within the next 180 days. Photo by Al Drago/UPI
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has instructed the various departments within the agency -- which include Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- to develop polices on body cameras within the next 180 days. Photo by Al Drago/UPI | License Photo

May 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that it is establishing rules for the use of body cameras.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has instructed the various departments within the agency -- which include Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- to develop polices within the next 180 days.

Advertisement

The guidelines require officers to have body cameras running during arrests and when executing search warrants but prohibits using them "for the sole purpose of recording individuals engaged in First Amendment activity."

"Today's policy announcement is designed to advance these essential values. Requiring the use of body-worn cameras by our law enforcement officers and agents is another important step DHS is making to bring our law enforcement workforce to the forefront of innovation, and to further build public trust and confidence in the thousands of dedicated and professional law enforcement officers at DHS," said Mayorkas.

The Department of Homeland Security specified that the guidelines were a minimum requirement and that individual agencies could exceed the rules if needed.

"Provisions in this are considered minimum standards that agencies must meet. If agencies choose to do so. Agency policy may exceed the minimum standards set in this DHS policy," the DHS said in a policy statement Tuesday.

Advertisement

The guidelines include rules on the preservation of visual evidence.

"DHS personnel shall not intentionally delete or modify BWC recorded data and shall only dispose of BWC recorded data as permitted by the agency's National Archives and Records Administration," the DHS said.

According to Mayorkas, the new policy stems from President Joe Biden's previous executive order demanding a review of law enforcement policies.

Customs and Border Protection officers already have deployed around 6,000 body worn cameras, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement has an active body camera pilot program.


Latest Headlines