Body Cameras on Campus

An increasing number of colleges and universities are outfitting their sworn officers with wearable, or body, cameras. Body cameras worn by law enforcement officers have become an industry standard in many agencies.

As of April 2017, police officers with The University of Texas at Austin are equipped with portable video cameras worn on the front of their uniforms. The cameras will be worn by officers for a variety of reasons, but most importantly in order to continue to build trust with those they serve and reassure the public that this is yet another step toward achieving mutual safety.

At Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem NC, all security officers and police officers are issued wearable cameras as part of their standard issued equipment.

Northwestern Police at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, began exploring the use of body-worn cameras in April 2016, working in collaboration with key stakeholders across the university to ensure a thoughtful approach. In June 2017, the university began a 30-day pilot phase with five Northwestern police officers. The feedback provided from both the officers and the campus community members shaped implementation. Northwestern went live with body-worn cameras for all sworn personnel on February 1, 2018.

In June 2017, East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, purchased 70 body cameras for campus officers with the intent to have them in use before the end of the year.

There are many more across the country. It is important to remember, however, that just purchasing the cameras and assigning them to officers is only a small part of their use. Policies and procedures should be established to determine how and when the cameras are used as well as who has access to the resulting recordings and now long those recordings are retained, among other considerations.

The University of North Florida Police Department has online a detailed Written Directives Manual on the subject of body-worn cameras for its Jacksonville campus. It can be reviewed here: https://goo.gl/APB4ce.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management July/August 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • University of Connecticut Upgrades Basketball Facility’s AV Systems

    The University of Connecticut recently partnered with Metinteractive to upgrade the AV systems of the Gampel Pavilion basketball facility on its campus in Mansfield, Conn., according to a news release.

  • Texas A&M Adds ALPR Technology to Parking Solutions

    Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, recently integrated automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology into its parking services and enforcement strategies, according to a news release. The university’s Transportation Services division deployed Genetec AutoVu ALPR to manage the campus’ 36,000+ parking spaces.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2025 New Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning is now accepting entries for the 2025 New Product Awards! The program’s goal is to honor the outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products and services are particularly noteworthy in helping to improve K–12 and Higher Education learning environments.

  • Illinois Elementary School Breaks Ground on Campus Expansion

    Heather Hill Elementary School, part of Flossmoor School District 161 in Palatine, Ill., recently broke ground on a new addition to the school focused on student support and security, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers for the expansion as part of a longer-term facility planning and modernization initiative.

Digital Edition