Bill > SB1174

This bill establishes comprehensive regulations for body cameras used by law enforcement agencies in Tennessee, requiring agencies to develop detailed written policies governing their use. The legislation mandates that only officers with arrest and search authority can wear body cameras, and they must activate these cameras when responding to calls for service, during encounters with the public, and upon arriving at scenes, with specific exceptions for immediate safety threats. The bill defines key terms like "body camera recording" and "law enforcement officer" and outlines strict guidelines for when and how cameras should be used, including requirements to notify subjects they are being recorded. The policy includes important privacy protections, such as allowing subjects to request camera deactivation in private residences, during interactions with crime victims, or when reporting crimes anonymously. The bill also establishes a six-month default retention period for recordings, with mandatory three-year retention for recordings involving use of force, felony arrests, or specific complaints. Additionally, the legislation creates disciplinary consequences for officers who violate the body camera policy, including potential evidentiary presumptions favoring criminal defendants or civil plaintiffs if recordings are improperly handled or destroyed, and mandates that recordings not be used for intelligence gathering or to record activities unrelated to law enforcement encounters.

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https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1174&ga=114