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Newport News Police Department
8. Federal Task Force Officers
a. Officers assigned to federal task forces will follow activation and deactivation requirements in
this policy unless they are acting under the color and authority of their assigned federal agency.
A memorandum of understanding outlines specific procedures or prohibitions following that
agency's policies. Deactivated recordings will include a note referencing that the deactivation was
done per the MOU appropriate federal agency.
b. Fugitive task force officers transporting prisoners for extended periods should have at least one
body-worn camera activated during transport if they determine a heightened security risk or risk
of escape or determine recording is necessary. Officers will honor policies regarding body-worn
cameras established by detention centers and federal transportation agencies.
J. Prohibitions, Restrictions & Deactivation
1. Generally, body-worn cameras will remain in event mode for the entirety of an event. Once activated,
a recording should not be intentionally terminated until the event's conclusion unless tactical, safety
or practical reasons dictate otherwise.
2. Some circumstances require officers to use their discretion when determining whether to terminate
or pause a recording before an event has concluded. While body-worn camera recordings are
important for investigations, officers may pause or terminate if they determine that maintaining the
recording will affect cooperation with an investigation or create unnecessary amounts of data not
relevant to it. Examples of such circumstances include:
a. A member of the public requests that the recording is stopped before speaking with an officer
about an event or investigation.
b. The officer attends a tactical briefing or engages in the tactical planning process.
c. The only law enforcement activity at an ongoing crime scene or assignment is scene security, and
video capture of crowds is not required.
d. While maintaining a traffic post or outer-perimeter assignment.
NOTE: When pausing or terminating a recording during an incident, officers should state that
they are pausing/ending the recording and a brief reason why.
3. Privacy
a. In general, officers will not activate the body-worn camera device and use caution when entering
a public locker room, changing room, restroom, doctor's office, or other places where an
individual, unrelated to an investigation, would have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
b. The use of the body-worn camera device in medical facilities is limited to those individuals
involved in an investigation. Officers will not record patient care interactions and procedures
with hospital personnel unless it directly relates to the investigation and hospital staff is made
aware before the recording takes place. This means officers will need to deactivate their camera
recording in medical facilities and only activate the recording function when conducting
investigative actions such as interviewing witnesses. Officers will also inform medical staff if they
are being recorded. Officers will remain mindful of HIPAA laws and guidelines.
4. Officers shall not intentionally record confidential informants or undercover officers unless the
recording is conducted specifically to document a sting, drug purchase/sale, or other undercover
operation in furtherance of a criminal investigation.
5. Officers will not make covert recordings of conversations with other department members except as
necessary for a criminal investigation and/or for Department administrative investigation without
the express consent of the Chief of Police.
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