FBI Reconsidering Body Camera Policy Amid Tensions With Local Police Departments -- Security Today

FBI Reconsidering Body Camera Policy Amid Tensions With Local Police Departments

Police chiefs want their officers to wear body cameras at all times, but officers serving on federal task forces are forbidden from doing so.

By Haley Samsel
Oct 29, 2019

Amid tensions with police departments over body camera policy, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Saturday that his agency would “find a way forward” on allowing local police officers serving on federal task forces to wear body cameras while on the job.

The Justice Department’s current policies do not allow federal agents to wear cameras and prevent local officers from wearing them during joint operations, The Associated Press reported. In response to the rules, Atlanta’s police chief withdrew his officers from federal task forces.

Other agencies, including police departments in Houston, Austin and St. Paul, Minnesota, have considered doing the same, according to The Washington Post.

During a speech at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Chicago, Wray said that any policy change would have to ensure that the recordings do not compromise any sensitive investigations or reveal informant identities.

“We want to make sure that we find some middle ground that we’re all comfortable with,” Wray said. “The good news is we’re talking about it. We’re getting it all out on the table, and I’m actually confident we are going to find a way forward here.”

In addition, Wray’s remarks addressed an agency pilot program that seeks to quickly pass threat information called in to the FBI’s tip line to local law enforcement. The FBI has faced intense scrutiny for how it handled tip information relating to the Parkland high school shooting in February 2018 and other mass shootings.

The pilot program, which has been launched in six states, allows calls to the tip line to be simultaneously routed to FBI offices as well as state and local command centers. The goal is to cut down on the amount of time it takes for high priority threats to reach local law enforcement.

“The volume and the speed that’s needed to deal with it is maybe the greatest challenge we face in law enforcement right now,” Wray said, according to the AP. “We have some kinks we have to work through, but I think it is on the right path.”

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Elite Interactive Expands Team to Target Innovation and Strategic Growth
10/21/2025
Alan Gillmore, IV Assumes Presidency of The Monitoring Association
10/21/2025
SIA Women in Security Forum Launches Sixth Annual CAN DO Challenge to Combat Food Insecurity
10/20/2025
Securitas Technology Releases 2026 Global Technology Outlook Report
10/15/2025
HID Signs Agreement to Acquire IDmelon, Expand Passwordless Authentication Capabilities
10/15/2025
Convergint Opens New U.S. Headquarters
10/13/2025
ONVIF to End Support for Profile S, Recommends Profile T as Replacement
10/09/2025
Totem Achieves Immix Central Station Certification Status
10/09/2025

Featured

Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now
- Active Shooter
Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now
- Access Control
- Artificial Intelligence
Report: Cyber Attackers Continue to Turn to AI-Based Tools to Avoid Detection

Comcast Business recently released its 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report, a comprehensive analysis of 34.6 billion cybersecurity events detected between June 1,2024 and May 31, 2025. Now in its third year, the report offers business leaders a unique perspective into the evolving threat landscape and provides actionable insights to help organizations strengthen their defenses and align cybersecurity with business risk. Read Now
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity

Security Today eNews

Sign up today for essential industry news and product information that can help you stay afloat in the fast-paced world of security.

Email Address*Country*

Please type the letters/numbers you see above.

Webinars

Whitepapers

New Products

Camden CM-221 Series Switches

Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.
Compact IP Video Intercom

Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.
Luma x20

Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”