Thousands of New South Wales Police officers are now required to wear and use body-worn cameras during all operational policing duties, a policy change that came into effect on Wednesday.
The updated policy mandates that officers activate their cameras unless it is reasonably impracticable. This includes situations where officers are exercising police powers, using tactical options involving force, or are involved in police pursuits as a passenger or observer.
Officers who do not comply with the new rule will be required to provide a written explanation for their actions. The policy is encapsulated by the phrase, "when the job's on, switch on."
This significant rule change follows a review of body-worn cameras within the NSW Police Force conducted by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC). Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson SC of the LECC endorsed the change, calling it an "important development in policing in NSW."
"The knowledge that interactions between police and community members are being recorded helps to keep both the officer and the community safe," Johnson stated. "The use of body worn cameras also promotes officer accountability by enabling NSW Police and the commission to effectively scrutinize officers' actions where there are allegations of police misconduct." He added that consistent and routine use of the cameras should increase public confidence in the NSW Police Force.
The LECC's report was prompted, in part, by an investigation that revealed multiple serious police incidents occurred in situations where available body-worn cameras were not activated.
NSW Police have implemented most of the 15 recommendations made in the LECC's report. Prior to this mandatory policy, officers in NSW and Western Australia had discretion over whether to activate their body-worn cameras.
NSW Police have been utilizing body-worn cameras since 2013. A 2020 statutory review of the Surveillance Devices Act 2007 found that the technology provided substantial benefits, including a reduction in violence and escalation of force, decreased paperwork, and increased patrol time. The review also noted fewer complaints against police officers, more efficient complaint management investigations, earlier case resolutions through guilty pleas, and improved accountability for both officers and the public.