HARLAN POLICE DEPARTMENT DIRECTIVE NUMBER: HPD-0084

SUBJECT: TASER BODY CAMS

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
DATE REVISED: SEPTEMBER 2013




I. Pur!"#: The purpose of this policy is to direct officers and supervisors in the proper use
and maintenance of mobile video recorders as well as directing how video will be utilized as
a quality control mechanism and evidence.
II. P!$%&': The policy of this department is to provide officers with mobile video recording
devices in an effort to enhance the officers ability to detect and prosecute criminals.
III. Pr!&#(ur#: It is the intent of this policy that all officers who will be using a Taser Body
Cam shall be trained on the manner in which the body cam shall be tested, maintained and
used.
A. It shall be the responsibility of each individual officer to test the body cam equipment at
the beginning of each tour of duty. In the event that the equipment is found to be
functioning improperly, the officer shall report the problem immediately to their
immediate supervisor so that the information can be documented, and arrangements
made for repair.
!cept when Body Cam unforeseeably does not function, all motor vehicle stops or street
encounters conducted by officers, should be assisted by officers with Body Cam that is
functioning if possible.

B. The recording shall begin no later than when the officer first signals the vehicle to stop
or arrives at the scene of an ongoing motor vehicle stop initiated by another law
enforcement officer or when the officer initiates a street encounter or arrives at a street
encounter initiated by another officer.
C. The recording shall continue until the motor vehicle stop or street encounter is
completed and the stopped vehicle or the citizen involved in the street encounter
departs or until the officer, discontinues his or her participation in the stop or encounter,
by leaving the scene.
D. The recording shall include searches of any "ind, to include# $%& searches of vehicles,
arrests of any persons, operators or occupants of vehicles and the issuance of
violations.
E. If an officer participates in a traffic stop or street encounter is aware that the event was
not recorded using the Body Cam equipment, the officer shall immediately notify the
dispatcher that the stop was not recorded and should notify the immediate supervisor
as to the reasons why the stop was not recorded. The notification to the immediate
supervisor shall be in writing and shall be forwarded through the chain of command to
the commanding officer.
). It shall be the responsibility of individual officers to place the body cam on their shirt
with the provided hardware and to be aware of the indicators that the body cam is ready
at start of shift. There is an audible alert of one beep when power is switched on. The
indicator light will be solid red during boot up and blin" green once it enters Buffering
'ode. (nce a traffic stop or street encounter is initiated, the officer shall press the
event button twice. The face will light up green, the indicator light will blin" red and an
audible beep will sound two beeps every two minutes during recording. (nce the event
is over, the officer shall press and hold the event button for three seconds. )ecording
will stop and one long audible beep will be heard and the body cam will return to
Buffering 'ode.
*. It shall be the officers responsibility to be aware of memory storage and battery life
remaining on the Body Cam. The batter life will be indicated by a green light when
battery life is *+%+,,-, yellow at .,%*,-, and red at less than .,-. Blin"ing red/yellow
indicates the battery is to low to boot up. 0our quic" beeps every ., seconds will be
audible when battery life reaches .,-. 1n alternating two%tone audible warning will be
heard when memory is full.
H. 1nytime a red or yellow light is lit on the body cam, do nothing until the light stops.
I. The body cam and video shall be forwarded to the immediate supervisor for transfer
and storage as soon as possible and not "ept in the officers position for an e!tended
period of time.

IV. Su#r+%"!r' R#"!,"%-%$%.' TAPES
A. It shall be the sole responsibility of the immediate supervisor for the changing and
securing of the videos removed from officers body cams.
B. 2hile stored, the videos shall be catalogued by the badge number, last four digits of
the body cam and the number stamped by the body cam. 3(4TI(5%The 675C program
does allow the file name change. 1 case number may be added here8
C. 9ideos shall be stored in a secure area on the computer dedicated to the body cam
with access limited to supervisory personnel designated by the Chief of 4olice
D. 1 log shall be "ept and maintained at the 6upervisory level of any officer requesting a
video, the date of viewing of the video, the time removed from storage, whether a copy
is made, the time returned to storage and the name of the person removing the video
from the secure area.
E. 9ideos shall be held for 3:,8 thirty days before being ;deleted< for memory space
unless necessary to hold to meet the requirements of $.).6. +=&1.+,, outlined below.
). 9ideos shall be sub>ect to review by the Chief of 4olice or the Commanding (fficer.
*. In order to review a video, authorized officers must fill out a request memo to the
Commanding (fficer. 1 log shall be maintained of all such requests and any copies will
be logged out by signing a logboo" or the ?4@ *+. 1 reviewing area shall be
designated at headquarters. 9ideos shall not be removed from this area without the
e!press permission of the Commanding (fficer.
H. 1t least once every 3A,8 si!ty%day period, immediate supervisors should review a taped
event of each subordinate under their supervision. The supervisor will log this review
on the ?4@ *+ the officers name. Thus each officer should have at least one notation
of review in any given 3A,8 si!ty%day period, commencing with the full implementation of
this policy.
I. 6upervisors should use these reviews as a quality control measure. 0ollowing such a
review, the supervisor will hold a meeting with the officer and provide the officer with
either positive reinforcement or constructive criticism with respect to the stop reviewed.
Constructive criticism may relate to officer safety issues, demeanor, policy issues or
legal issues related to the stop as well as any other supervisory observation relative to
performance.
J. If upon review, the supervisor finds that corrective action is necessary regarding an
officers conduct, the Chief of 4olice or his designee, along with the officers immediate
supervisor may ta"e the necessary action. In such cases, a special video review
schedule should be implemented with respect to that particular officer for a set duration
in order to ensure compliance with the corrective action.
/. In cases of median infractions requiring mid%level disciplinary actions, the Commanding
(fficer of the employee or his designee conducting the review shall then determine the
proper disciplinary action. In such cases, special video review schedule shall be
implemented with respect to the particular officer for a set duration in order to ensure
compliance with the corrective action.
L. In cases of serious infractions, the Commanding (ffice of the employee or his
designee shall forward all information regarding the incident to the Chief of 4olice for
determination of the proper disciplinary action. In such cases, a special video review
schedule shall be implemented with respect to the particular officer for a set duration in
order to ensure compliance with the corrective action.
V. U"# !0 V%(#! R#&!r(%,1" 2" E+%(#,&# %, Cr%3%,2$4M!.!r V#5%&$# Pr!"#&u.%!,"
A. In a case where an event is recorded which involves an arrest or any seizure of
evidence or property, the officer in charge of the vehicle shall fill out the video ?4@ *+
form indicating that the event has been recorded.
B. In misdemeanor and felony cases this form shall be immediately delivered to the
officers immediate supervisor. The immediate supervisor shall then review the
recording and determine its evidentiary value. 3It should be noted that most technology
allows videos to be reviewed without causing damage to the recording%if this technology
is unavailable, the recording shall be saved in the manner which preserves it for further
use.8 If the supervisor determines that the recording should be maintained as evidence,
the supervisor shall ma"e a notation on the video ?4@ *+ form so that the incident may
be copied and maintained as evidence with the case by following the established
procedure.
C. 2here a supervisor has made a determination that a recording shall be maintained as
evidence, they must deliver a signed copy of the video ?4@ *+ form indicating that the
recording should be saved on Body Cam computer to the chiefs designee, and only the
person designated by them shall ma"e the copy. 1 copy of the video ?4@ *+ form shall
be maintained in the case file. videntiary tapes shall be mar"ed with the
corresponding report number and shall be forwarded to the evidence supervisor for
maintenance or custody until such time as the case in question reaches final
disposition.
D. 2here there is any indication that the video may contain evidence that may be helpful
to a suspects/defendants defense, that recording must be saved and turned over to the
prosecutor assigned to the case in accordance with the ;@uty to @isclose< policy of this
agency.
VI. R#&!r(%,1" !0 )%#$( S!-r%#.' T#"."6 Pur"u%." 2,( Tr200%& S.!" 7/.R.S. 188A.1009: Baw
enforcement agencies may record on film or videotape or by other visual and audible
means the pursuit of a violator or suspected violator, the traffic stop, or field sobriety tests
administered at the scene of an arrest for violation of KRS 189A.010 or such tests at a
police station, >ail, or other suitable facility sub>ect to the following conditionsC
A. The testing is recorded in its entirety 3e!cept for blood alcohol analysis testing8# and
B. The entire recording of the field sobriety tests and the entire recording of such portions
of the pursuit and traffic stop as were recorded is shown in court unless the defendant
waives the showing of any portions not offered by the prosecution# and
C. The entire recording is available to be shown by the defense at trial if the defendant so
desires regardless of whether it was introduced by the Commonwealth# and
D. The defendant or his counsel is afforded an opportunity to view the entire recording a
reasonable time before the trial in order to prepare an adequate defense# and
E. )ecordings shall be used for official purposes only, which shall includeC
2. 9iewing in court#
-. 9iewing by the prosecution and defense in preparation for a trial# and
&. 9iewing for purposes of administrative reviews and official administrative
proceedings. )ecordings shall otherwise be considered as confidential records# and
(. The videotape or film ta"en in accordance with this section shall, upon order of the
@istrict Court, be destroyed after the later of the followingC
19 0ourteen 3+*8 months, if there is no appeal of any criminal or traffic case filed as
a result of the videotape or film, or if the videotape or film does not record the
actual happening of an accident involving a motor vehicle#
29 0ourteen 3+*8 months after a decision has been made not to prosecute any
case upon which an arrest has been made or a citation issued as a result of the
videotape or film, if the videotape does not record the actual happening of an
accident involving a motor vehicle#
39 Twenty%si! 3.A8 months, if there is no appeal of any criminal or traffic case filed
as a result of the videotape or film, if the videotape or film records the actual
happening of an accident involving a motor vehicle#
49 1fter all appeals have been e!hausted arising from any criminal or traffic case
filed as a result of the videotape#
:9 1t the conclusion of any civil case arising from events depicted on the videotape
or film# or
;9 1t the conclusion of the e!haustion of all appeals arising from any law
enforcement agency administrative proceedings arising from events depicted on
the videotape or film# and
#. 4ublic officials or employees utilizing or showing recordings other than as permitted
in this chapter or permitting others to do so shall be guilty of official misconduct in
the first degree.
VII. 2hen a peace officer ma"es a video or film recording of any transaction covered by this
policy and a citation is issued or an arrest is made, the peace officer shall note on the
uniform citation that a videotape has been made of the transaction.

VIII. Taser offers a smart phone application that allows the officers phone to connect to the
body cam via Bluetooth technology. This allows for viewing of the video but not deleting or
other manipulation. This application also allows for live viewing of the camera feed. 1s this
can be used as a tool to further officer safety, the use of the application is approved by this
policy.
I<. PROHIBITED ACTIONS
2. 5ot wearing or turning on body cam.
-. 5ot recording with body cam.
&. 'istreatment of the body cam.
(. 5ot maintaining charge, care, or transfer of data of body cam.
#. 'a"ing personal copies of videos.
0. 6haring of videos with others or social media.
1. Dsing body cam for personal use.
5. @eliberately interfering with body cam to hinder recording.

1n officer who misuses or violates these actions will be sub>ect to immediate termination at the
chief of police discretion.