Body-Worn Camera Program

After several years of planning, community engagement, policy development, and pilot testing, PPB fully implemented body-worn cameras bureau-wide in 2024.

Body-worn cameras are governed by a detailed directive that outlines when cameras must be used, how footage is stored, privacy protections, and release procedures.

Full policy:
0620.00 Body-Worn Camera Use and Management

Who Wears Body-Worn Cameras

Most sworn officers wear body-worn cameras while on duty.

This includes:

• Patrol officers
• Traffic officers
• Public order / crowd management officers
• Officers responding to calls for service
• Officers conducting stops, searches, arrests, or enforcement activity

Non-uniformed sworn members must also wear cameras when engaging in enforcement activity.

Certain assignments, such as undercover operations or specialized roles where disclosure would create safety risks, may be exempt unless actively engaged in enforcement.

When Cameras Are Activated

Cameras are activated in two ways.

Automatic activation occurs when certain equipment is used, such as activating emergency lights or drawing a firearm or conducted energy weapon.

Manual activation is required when officers:

• Respond to calls for service
• Conduct traffic stops or pedestrian stops
• Make arrests
• Conduct searches
• Engage in pursuits
• Begin enforcement-related contact

Officers are generally required to inform individuals they are being recorded when feasible.

Recording continues for the duration of the enforcement contact.

When Cameras May Be Deactivated

Body-worn cameras are not intended to record all activity.

Recording may be stopped or not initiated in specific situations, including:

• Conversations with sexual assault victims who do not consent
• Sensitive medical or mental health settings
• Attorney-client conversations
• Certain secure law enforcement facilities
• Administrative meetings, training, or non-enforcement community engagement

If recording is stopped during an enforcement event, the officer must verbally state the reason and document it.

Deadly Force Incidents

In officer-involved shootings or other deadly force incidents, PPB releases body-worn camera footage within 14 days of the incident.

This timeframe allows for:

• Initial investigative steps
• Officer and witness interviews
• Coordination with the District Attorney's Office
• Family notification

This 14-day release practice reflects the Bureau's transparency standard in recent deadly force cases.

Footage is released publicly unless there is a legal reason preventing release.

Public Release and Public Records Requests

Body-worn camera recordings are public records under Oregon law.

Before public release:

• Faces are blurred
• Identifying features are obscured
• Certain audio may be muted if required by law

Unredacted footage is preserved for investigative and court purposes.

Not all footage is releasable. Oregon public records law includes exemptions to protect privacy, active investigations, and safety concerns.

To request body-worn camera footage or other police records, members of the public may submit a public records request through the City of Portland:

• City of Portland Public Records Request Portal
• Police Records Division information

Requests should include as much detail as possible, including date, location, involved parties (if known), and case number (if available).

Fees may apply depending on the scope of the request and the time required for review and redaction.

Retention and Security

Body-worn camera footage is securely uploaded and stored in a digital evidence management system.

• Officers cannot delete or edit footage in the field.
• Access and edits are logged and auditable.
• Recordings are retained according to Oregon law and evidence retention schedules.
• The policy prohibits the use of facial recognition technology on BWC footage.

Program Goals

The Body-Worn Camera Program is designed to:

• Increase transparency
• Strengthen accountability
• Improve evidence collection
• Assist with investigations and prosecutions
• Support complaint review processes
• Provide material for training and performance review
• Enhance officer and community safety

Understanding the Limits of Video

Body-worn cameras provide one perspective of an incident.

They are limited by:

• Camera placement
• Field of view
• Lighting conditions
• Audio quality

They do not capture everything an officer sees or perceives.

Body-worn cameras are a documentation tool. They improve transparency and accountability, but they are not a complete reconstruction of events.

For full policy details, definitions, and technical requirements, review the complete directive:
0620.00 Body-Worn Camera Use and Management