New York City's NYPD Fails to Meet Deadline for Police Body Camera Footage, Audit Reveals
A scathing audit by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has found that the NYPD consistently fails to meet deadlines for turning over video footage of police encounters. The review, which covered requests submitted between 2020 and 2024 under the city's freedom of information law, revealed that in many cases, the department didn't submit the footage until after an appeal was filed.
The audit suggests a system that relies heavily on appeals to resolve delayed responses. In most instances where the request was denied initially, the requester later appealed, only for the NYPD to turn over the footage afterwards. This raises questions about the effectiveness of body-worn cameras as a tool for increasing transparency and accountability in policing.
Comptroller Lander has emphasized the need for proper oversight of these cameras, stating that without it, they become mere "hunks of metal." The audit's findings highlight concerns that the NYPD is not adequately checking whether officers are activating their cameras correctly during encounters.
According to the report, nearly all denied requests were later granted after an appeal. However, experts point out that this may be due in part to a lack of transparency and accountability from the department itself.
The review also found significant delays in responding to body-worn camera footage requests. In most cases, the NYPD took over 133 business days to grant or deny a request, far exceeding the standard 25-day timeline set by city agencies for such responses.
In response to the audit's findings, the NYPD has agreed to several recommendations aimed at improving transparency and oversight of body-worn camera footage. These measures include increasing staffing at its Legal Bureau to handle FOIL requests and investigating lower activation rates at certain precincts across the city.
However, critics like Deputy Commissioner Kristine Ryan have disputed the audit's methodology, arguing that using 2020 data as a benchmark is "methodologically flawed" due to the extraordinary circumstances of that year.
A scathing audit by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has found that the NYPD consistently fails to meet deadlines for turning over video footage of police encounters. The review, which covered requests submitted between 2020 and 2024 under the city's freedom of information law, revealed that in many cases, the department didn't submit the footage until after an appeal was filed.
The audit suggests a system that relies heavily on appeals to resolve delayed responses. In most instances where the request was denied initially, the requester later appealed, only for the NYPD to turn over the footage afterwards. This raises questions about the effectiveness of body-worn cameras as a tool for increasing transparency and accountability in policing.
Comptroller Lander has emphasized the need for proper oversight of these cameras, stating that without it, they become mere "hunks of metal." The audit's findings highlight concerns that the NYPD is not adequately checking whether officers are activating their cameras correctly during encounters.
According to the report, nearly all denied requests were later granted after an appeal. However, experts point out that this may be due in part to a lack of transparency and accountability from the department itself.
The review also found significant delays in responding to body-worn camera footage requests. In most cases, the NYPD took over 133 business days to grant or deny a request, far exceeding the standard 25-day timeline set by city agencies for such responses.
In response to the audit's findings, the NYPD has agreed to several recommendations aimed at improving transparency and oversight of body-worn camera footage. These measures include increasing staffing at its Legal Bureau to handle FOIL requests and investigating lower activation rates at certain precincts across the city.
However, critics like Deputy Commissioner Kristine Ryan have disputed the audit's methodology, arguing that using 2020 data as a benchmark is "methodologically flawed" due to the extraordinary circumstances of that year.
this is so messed up 
, I mean, we're talking about body cams here, which are supposed to be a way for us to see what's really going down when cops and citizens interact. But if they can't even meet a simple deadline like 25 days to respond to requests, that just shows how much of a cover-up there is 
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. It's all about appeals and loopholes... meanwhile, the footage is still hidden from us for months on end 
. We need real change, not just a few tweaks to the existing system 
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. What's being appealed? The cops' own incompetence or their desire to keep us in the dark? 
NYPD is still slippin' on turnin over body cam footage like it's nobody's business! I mean i get it, delays happen but a whole 133 days? that's just ridiculous 
and what really gets me is they're actin all defensive about it too. "oh we're fixin to change things" 
and meanwhile the public is still left in the dark about what's goin on with these cameras...it's like, come on guys get it together 
and btw i think this audit is spot on - these cameras are only gonna be effective if we can actually see 'em work properly 
... and what kinda oversight are we talking about here? just more bureaucrats telling the NYPD whats good for them 
meanwhile we got citizens trying to get info on legit stuff and they're stuck in the slow lane like 133 days is forever 
and dont even get me started on appeals lol its like a never ending loop 
meanwhile, we gotta wonder if those cameras are even doing what they're supposed to do if the NYPD can't even keep track of when they're being used properly 
Like, what's wrong with giving people an extra 2-3 months to review all this sensitive info? It's not like it's gonna hurt anyone... or make us less transparent about police misconduct 
The fact that Comptroller Lander is trying to micromanage every aspect of the cameras and get everyone to agree on a set timeline is just too rigid for my taste. And what's wrong with having some buffer time, anyway? We shouldn't be under pressure to turn over footage so fast we're practically salivating 
NYPD needs to step up their game on transparency & accountability. I mean, body-worn cameras are supposed to help reduce tension & increase trust between cops & citizens, but if they're not being used correctly or being hidden from public view... it's all just empty promises 
. like, we pay them to be transparent and accountable, but its clear they need some extra oversight to make sure they're doing it right. comptroller lander makes a great point when he says these cameras are just "hunks of metal" without proper checks in place - thats not exactly reassuring 
