» Body Worn Cameras

Body-worn cameras (BWC) are small audio and video recording devices attached to an Officer's uniform that record interactions between community members and Public Safety Officers.

The video and audio recordings from the cameras can be used by Public Safety and law enforcement to demonstrate transparency to their communities, promote accountability, and deter criminal activity and uncooperative behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Will body-worn cameras make the campus safer?
    • Body-worn cameras have statistically shown a significant reduction in citizen injury. When the cameras are turned on, they've also demonstrated a reduction in police use of force. There is an implication that BWCs are more likely to result in arrests, charges filed, and guilty pleas.
  • Why do Chapman University's non-sworn Public Safety Officers need body-worn cameras?
    • Body-worn camera technology has developed to the point where it is becoming an industry standard, and law enforcement departments across the nation are adopting BWCs for their departments. The BWCs preserve the contact between the community and Public Safety Officers while providing transparency and accountability.
  • How/when will the body-worn cameras be used (turned on)?
    • Public Safety Officers shall turn on their BWCs when responding to a call for service or taking enforcement action. Officers are required to make a simple statement to the effect of, "this encounter is being recorded." Where there is an expectation of privacy, the Officer shall provide verbal notice of the recording and shall end the recording promptly if the other party withdraws consent to the recording.
  • How do I know if the camera is recording or not?
    • A circular light surrounds the exterior of BWC's lens. When the color is red, it is actively recording; if the color is green, it is in standby mode and is not recording.
  • What happens to a video once it's recorded?
    • At the end of each shift, Officers dock their cameras and allow the video recordings to be uploaded to a cloud-based service for storage. Depending on the type of incident in the video, the retention time of the recording will differentiate from others. 
  • I was involved in an incident that may have been recorded with the body-worn camera. Can I view it?
    • Depending on your relationship to the incident, you may or may not be subject to viewing the video. Please fill out the video request form here. 
Meet the Axon Body 3

Public Safety's Body-Worn Camera

To learn more about the Axon Body 3, their video management system, and their other products, please visit their website at www.axon.com.