NYPD has failed to release police body camera footage on time, audit finds

New York City's Police Department Has Failed to Meet Transparency Deadline for Body Camera Footage

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has consistently missed its own deadline for releasing body-worn camera footage to the public, an audit by the city comptroller's office found. Despite introducing the cameras in 2019 with the goal of increasing transparency and accountability, the department failed to turn over footage on time in nearly all cases.

Between 2020 and 2024, the department received more than 5,400 requests for body camera footage under New York's freedom of information law (FOIL). However, it took an average of 133 business days for the NYPD to respond to these requests, well beyond the standard 25-business-day deadline. In some cases, the department didn't even begin processing requests until after they had been appealed.

The audit also found that nearly all denied requests were later granted after being appealed by the requester. This suggests that the department was often slow to process initial requests or was simply too lenient in its decision-making. Comptroller Brad Lander argued that this undermines the purpose of body-worn cameras, which are meant to provide transparency and evidence for accountability.

Moreover, the audit discovered that the NYPD wasn't adequately monitoring whether officers were turning on their cameras as required. The department had an internal procedure in place where sergeants from various precincts were supposed to randomly select five videos each month and review them using inspection worksheets. However, in over half of the months covered by the audit, the department was unable to provide these worksheets.

In addition, investigators found that officers often failed to follow the correct videotaping procedure during encounters. This resulted in footage being recorded too late or stopped early, which can be problematic for accountability and transparency efforts.

Despite some criticism from the NYPD, the department ultimately agreed to several recommendations aimed at improving transparency and oversight of body-worn camera footage. However, questions remain about whether these changes will effectively address the issues identified by the audit.

I'm literally shaking my head over this one. Like, what's the point of even having body cameras if we can't get our hands on the footage in a timely manner? It's not like it's rocket science to release footage that shows what happened during an incident. The NYPD is basically saying they're too busy or too lazy to do their job properly. And don't even get me started on how they weren't monitoring if cameras were actually being used. That's just basic oversight 101.

I'm not surprised the department didn't meet the deadline, though. I mean, have you seen some of the bureaucracy and red tape that comes with government agencies? It's like they're trying to make things as hard as possible for transparency and accountability.

I'm so frustrated with this! The NYPD is supposed to be serving the public, not hiding info from them. 5,400 requests for body cam footage and they still can't meet their own deadline? It's like they're trying to cover up something. And don't even get me started on how they're handling appeals - it's like a game of cat and mouse! The comptroller is right, the whole point of body-worn cameras was to increase transparency and accountability, but if they can't even follow their own procedures, what's the point? It's just not good enough.

I'm not surprised that the NYC PD is struggling with releasing body cam footage on time. It's like they're trying to keep secrets from us . Look, transparency and accountability are important, but it's also about making sure these cameras are actually working properly. The audit says half the sergeants aren't even following through with their part of the process, which is a big issue . I get that it can be hard to keep track, but come on, it's just basic stuff like turning on the camera during encounters or following procedure . The good news is they're making some changes, but we need to make sure those changes stick and we're actually getting more transparency from the NYPD .

this is a no-brainer for me... they gotta get their act together with that transparency deadline thingy... can't have them just making it up as they go along i mean, 133 business days? what's up w/ that?! & dont even get me started on the fact that nearly all denied requests were later granted after being appealed its like they werent really trying to follow the rules in the first place... and then they have the nerve to say body-worn cameras are meant for transparency & accountability? i feel like theyre just winging it

I mean, come on, 133 business days for a response? That's not transparency, that's a backdoor to secrecy . It's like they're just waiting for ppl to appeal before they even bother reviewing the footage. And what's with the sergeants not doing their job? I guess it just goes to show that we need more checks and balances in place to make sure this stuff gets done right. Maybe the NYPD needs to rethink its whole approach to body-worn cameras... like, why are they still having these issues after 6 years of introducing them?

I'm not surprised that the NYPD missed its own deadline for releasing body cam footage again... 5,400 requests and only 25 business days to respond? That's like trying to sort out a million files in an hour Average response time of 133 days is ridiculous! And what's up with the internal procedure not being followed in half the months? That's just a recipe for disaster Not to mention, officers didn't follow proper filming procedures, which makes accountability and transparency efforts super hard

Here are some stats that might give you an idea of just how bad it is:

* 75% of denied requests were granted after appeal
* Only 40% of requested footage was released within the original deadline (25 business days)
* Average response time to requests: 133 days
* 30% of internal worksheets for reviewing body cam footage were missing

What do you guys think? Should we just give up on transparency and accountability efforts or keep pushing for better practices?

idk why the nypd is so slow with releasing that body cam footage it's like they're trying to hide something . and what's up with those sergeants randomly selecting vids without actually doing anythin? it seems like they're just going thru the motions. and if officers are not following proper videotaping procedures, then how can we trust that footage is even accurate? . i feel like the nypd needs to step up their game if they wanna be transparent and accountable with those body cams .

Ugh, this is so frustrating ! I mean, can't they just follow their own rules already? They introduce body cameras to increase transparency and accountability, but then they go and mess it up with delayed responses and inconsistent decision-making . And don't even get me started on the lack of monitoring - it's like they're just winging it . I'm all about organization and structure in my personal life (hello, bullet points!), so it's infuriating to see a department struggling with something as simple as transparency . Let's hope their new recommendations stick and actually make a difference .

Ugh, this is just what I need - more proof that bureaucracy can be slower than a snail on valium . Can't believe they missed the deadline like 5k+ times already! What's the point of having cameras if you're gonna take forever to release the footage? And btw, who thought it was a good idea to have sergeants just randomly pick videos out of thin air? It's like they're trying to make us think they're being transparent on purpose. Transparency is just a word, folks .

ugh this is so messed up like seriously how can a govt dept fail to meet its own deadlines like what's going on here? the whole point of those body cams was supposed to be more transparency and accountability, but it sounds like that just isn't happening they're even denying requests initially then reversing them after appeals, it's just so frustrating

and can you believe the internal procedure is as lax as that? sergeants just kinda picking 5 vids every month to review? come on that's not how you ensure accountability. and those investigators found so many instances of officers messing up the filming process... like what even is the point of having body cams if they're not gonna work properly

anyway, glad the department agreed to some changes, but it'll be interesting to see if it actually makes a difference

lol what's up with these cops? they can't even be bothered to release their own footage on time like what's the point of having body cams if nobody knows what happened in the first place? and yeah, it's pretty messed up that they're not monitoring those cameras properly... sounds like a total lack of accountability and btw, who thought it was a good idea to have sergeants just randomly reviewing videos each month? that's like trying to solve a crime with a coin flip

i think it's super concerning that the NYPD is struggling with releasing body cam footage on time . like, isn't the whole point of having those cameras to increase transparency and accountability? it seems like they're more interested in keeping stuff under wraps than being open with the public . and what's up with all these denied requests getting granted after an appeal? that just feels like a bunch of bureaucratic red tape . gotta hope those changes they agreed to will actually make a difference

Ugh I mean, come on... 133 business days is just too long for the NYPD to respond to requests for body cam footage! They need to get their act together and prioritize transparency over bureaucracy red tape. I'm not surprised that they missed the deadline so many times, it's just a lack of accountability . And what's with the inconsistent application of rules? If officers can't even follow proper videotaping procedures during encounters, how are we supposed to trust the footage? It's like they're hiding something... or not following the law properly. This whole thing is super frustrating

I'm really disappointed in the NYC Police Department's handling of body cam footage . I think it's crazy that they've missed their own deadline like 5 times already! It's all about transparency and accountability, right? If officers are not following the correct procedure, it can be super problematic for both them and the public. And what's up with denying requests in the first place? It's wild that they didn't even start processing some of those until people appealed. This whole thing just feels really slow and outdated. Maybe if they got their act together, we'd actually see some real change!

OMG , can't believe the NYPD is still being super slow with releasing that body cam footage ! I mean, they introduced those cameras back in 2019 to increase transparency and accountability, but it's been like forever since we've seen anything from them . Like, what's the point of even having a camera if you're not gonna use it?

And don't even get me started on how they're handling FOIL requests . I'm all for some leniency, but come on! If we need to appeal for our footage, that just means they weren't following procedure in the first place .

And yeah, it's pretty wild that they weren't monitoring whether officers were using their cameras as required . Like, how are we supposed to know if they're even doing their job right if they can't even follow a simple procedure?

I'm glad they agreed to some changes, but I'm still not convinced that it's gonna be enough . We need more transparency and accountability from our law enforcement , stat!

I'm so bummed about this . Remember when we used to watch those old cop shows and they always had a cool gadget like a superpower watch? This is kinda like that, but instead of being cool, it's just slow and bureaucratic . I mean, 133 business days is way too long for the city to make its own footage available. It's like we're living in the Dark Ages again . And what really gets me is that they were supposed to be monitoring the cameras but somehow missed doing it . Can't we just have some transparency and accountability already? I swear, back in my day we had flip phones and beepers... now we've got these new-fangled body-worn cameras that should make things easier, not harder .

I'm not surprised to hear that the NYPD missed its own deadline for releasing body cam footage...again 133 business days is way too long for a standard response time, especially when it comes to transparency and accountability. It's like they're intentionally trying to keep the public in the dark . And what's up with all these denied requests being granted after appeal? It's like they're just winging it and hoping nobody notices . I'm glad there's some pushback from the comptroller, but we need more concrete changes to actually see some improvement. Can't the city just hold them accountable for this?!

I'm so annoyed when I see this kinda thing happen . The NYPD's failure to meet their own deadline for releasing body cam footage is just basic transparency 101. It's like, if you wanna trust us with your safety, we need to be able to show you what's really going on - or should I say, not go on . It's crazy that they're so slow to process requests and don't even start until after an appeal is filed. And to make matters worse, they weren't monitoring their own cameras properly either . This whole thing just smells like a mess, and I'm all about holding our law enforcement accountable . We need real change here!

I'm really disappointed in the NYPD's handling of body camera footage . It's like they're intentionally trying to keep us in the dark about police actions. The fact that they've missed their own deadline so consistently is just staggering - 133 business days? That's a whole lot of time for something as simple as turning over footage under FOIL .

And what's even more concerning is that nearly all denied requests were later granted after being appealed by the requester. This suggests to me that they're not taking these requests seriously and are too lenient in their decision-making. That completely undermines the purpose of body-worn cameras, which are meant to provide transparency and evidence for accountability .

The lack of adequate monitoring is also alarming - if officers aren't turning on their cameras as required, how can we trust that they're being used effectively? And those investigation findings about officers not following the correct videotaping procedure during encounters? That's a huge concern . I hope these changes will actually lead to some real improvements in transparency and oversight... but it's hard to be optimistic right now .