FedScoop: US Capitol Police in ‘very early stages’ of body-worn camera pilot

While body cameras could be a critical tool for holding officers accountable, it’s also important for the department to create stringent policy governing how the footage is used, says John Davisson, an attorney at the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).

“Deploying body cameras on Capitol Police officers poses the same privacy and surveillance risks as it does with any other law enforcement agency,” he told FedScoop in an email. “The jurisdiction of the Capitol Police extends well beyond the Capitol grounds into surrounding neighborhoods, so it’s not just Hill staff and visitors whose privacy is at stake. If the Capitol Police are intent on deploying body cameras, the agency at least needs to establish and enforce strict limits on the collection, use, and retention of the recordings.”

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