BWCSS Supporting Documents with table of contents

2016 Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement– Table of Contents
Attachment 1 – Lead Letter ............................................................................................................. 2
Attachment 2 - Title 42 Authorization ............................................................................................. 3
Attachment 3 – Survey Invitation Letter.......................................................................................... 8
Attachment 4 – Thank you Reminder Letter ................................................................................... 9
Attachment 5 – First Nonresponse Message .................................................................................. 10
Attachment 6 – Second Nonresponse Message ............................................................................. 11
Attachment 7 – Sample Call Scripts .............................................................................................. 12
Attachment 8 – End of Study Message .......................................................................................... 14
Attachment 9 – Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Instrument .................................................. 15
Attachment 10 –BWC Flyer .......................................................................................................... 44

U. S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics

Washington, D.C. 20531

«Date»
«Salutation» «ContactFirstName» «ContactLastName»
«Agency Name»
«ContactAddress1» «ContactAddress2»
«ContactCity», «ContactState» «ContactZip»
Dear «Salutation» «ContactLastName»:
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is conducting the Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement to the Law
Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Program. Research Triangle International (RTI) is our
data collection agent for this survey. The 2016 BWC survey is designed to examine reasons law enforcement agencies
acquire BWCs, other means use to document officer-citizen interactions, agency policies and procedures surrounding
camera use and video storage, and obstacles that to cameras use and implementation. If your agency has not adopted
BWC we are interested in learning about your reasons for not acquiring the devices and any future plans for adoption.
Your agency has been selected to participate in this data collection. While your participation is voluntary, information
from your agency is critical to ensure that the results are representative of and useful to law enforcement nationwide. Your
response is very important in order to help the federal government and other policy makers understand how agencies are
using BWCs (or not), what difficulties you may be experiencing, and how technologies such as these are impacting
policies and procedures. BJS will only use the data collected in this survey for research and statistical purposes, as
described in Title 42, USC §3735 and 3789g (enclosed). There are no risks or benefits to your agency based on your
decision to participate in this survey.
I am writing to let you know that on «date», you will receive an email at «email» asking your agency to participate and
providing you with a link to the BWC survey. We understand you have considerable demands on your time but would
greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to complete this survey even if you recently completed a different survey
on this same topic.
If you have any general questions, please contact Alexia Cooper, BJS Program Manager, at <> or <> or
Shelley Hyland, BJS Program Manager, at <> or <>. If you have questions about the BWC survey
supplement or need to update your contact information (including e-mail address), please contact Alissa Chambers, the
RTI data collection task leader, via phone or e-mail at (800) ###-#### or [email protected].
Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to our continued work together.
Sincerely,
William J. Sabol, PhD
Director
Bureau of Justice Statistics

Enclosures: Confidentiality Assurances

DERIVATION
Title I
THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACT OF 1968
(Public Law 90-351)
42 U.S.C. § 3711, et seq.
AN ACT to assist State and local governments in reducing the incidence of crime, to increase the effectiveness,
fairness, and coordination of law enforcement and criminal justice systems at all levels of government, and for other
purposes.
As Amended By
THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL ACT OF 1970
(Public Law 91-644)
THE CRIME CONTROL ACT OF 1973
(Public Law 93-83)
THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT OF 1974
(Public Law 93-415)
THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS’ BENEFITS ACT OF 1976
(Public Law 94-430)
THE CRIME CONTROL ACT OF 1976
(Public Law 94-503)
THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1979
(Public Law 96-157)
THE JUSTICE ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1984
(Public Law 98-473)
STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1986
(Public Law 99-570-Subtitle K)
THE ANTI-DRUG ABUSE ACT OF 1988
TITLE VI, SUBTITLE C - STATE AND LOCAL NARCOTICS CONTROL
AND JUSTICE ASSISTANCE IMPROVEMENTS
(Public Law 100-690)
THE CRIME CONTROL ACT OF 1990
(Public Law 101-647)
BRADY HANDGUN VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT
(Public Law 103-159)
VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 1994
(Public Law 103-322)
NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION ACT OF 1993, AS AMENDED
(Public Law 103-209)
and
CRIME IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1998
(Public Law 105-251)

BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS
CHAPTER 46 - SUBCHAPTER III
[TITLE I - PART C]
42 USC § 3731

[Sec. 301.] Statement of purpose

It is the purpose of this subchapter [part] to provide for and encourage the collection and
analysis of statistical information concerning crime, juvenile delinquency, and the
operation of the criminal justice system and related aspects of the civil justice system and
to support the development of information and statistical systems at the Federal, State,
and local levels to improve the efforts of these levels of government to measure and
understand the levels of crime, juvenile delinquency, and the operation of the criminal
justice system and related aspects of the civil justice system. The Bureau shall utilize to
the maximum extent feasible State governmental organizations and facilities responsible
for the collection and analysis of criminal justice data and statistics. In carrying out the
provisions of this subchapter [part], the Bureau shall give primary emphasis to the
problems of State and local justice systems.
42 USC § 3732

[Sec. 302.] Bureau of Justice Statistics

(a) Establishment. There is established within the Department of Justice, under the
general authority of the Attorney General, a Bureau of Justice Statistics (hereinafter
referred to in this subchapter [part] as “Bureau”).
(b) Appointment of Director; experience; authority; restrictions. The Bureau shall be
headed by a Director appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate. The Director shall have had experience in statistical programs. The Director
shall have final authority for all grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts awarded by
the Bureau. The Director shall report to the Attorney General through the Assistant
Attorney General. The Director shall not engage in any other employment than that of
serving as Director; nor shall the Director hold any office in, or act in any capacity for,
any organization, agency, or institution with which the Bureau makes any contract or
other arrangement under this Act.
(c) Duties and functions of Bureau. The Bureau is authorized to–
(1) make grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with public
agencies, institutions of higher education, private organizations, or private
individuals for purposes related to this subchapter [part]; grants shall be made
subject to continuing compliance with standards for gathering justice statistics set
forth in rules and regulations promulgated by the Director;
(2) collect and analyze information concerning criminal victimization, including
crimes against the elderly, and civil disputes;
(3) collect and analyze data that will serve as a continuous and comparable
national social indication of the prevalence, incidence, rates, extent, distribution,
and attributes of crime, juvenile delinquency, civil disputes, and other statistical
factors related to crime, civil disputes, and juvenile delinquency, in support of
national, State, and local justice policy and decisionmaking;
(4) collect and analyze statistical information, concerning the operations of the
criminal justice system at the Federal, State, and local levels;

(5) collect and analyze statistical information concerning the prevalence,
incidence, rates, extent, distribution, and attributes of crime, and juvenile
delinquency, at the Federal, State, and local levels;
(6) analyze the correlates of crime, civil disputes and juvenile delinquency, by the
use of statistical information, about criminal and civil justice systems at the
Federal, State, and local levels, and about the extent, distribution and attributes of
crime, and juvenile delinquency, in the Nation and at the Federal, State, and local
levels;
(7) compile, collate, analyze, publish, and disseminate uniform national statistics
concerning all aspects of criminal justice and related aspects of civil justice,
crime, including crimes against the elderly, juvenile delinquency, criminal
offenders, juvenile delinquents, and civil disputes in the various States;
(8) recommend national standards for justice statistics and for insuring the
reliability and validity of justice statistics supplied pursuant to this chapter [title];
(9) maintain liaison with the judicial branches of the Federal and State
Governments in matters relating to justice statistics, and cooperate with the
judicial branch in assuring as much uniformity as feasible in statistical systems of
the executive and judicial branches;
(10) provide information to the President, the Congress, the judiciary, State and
local governments, and the general public on justice statistics;
(11) establish or assist in the establishment of a system to provide State and local
governments with access to Federal informational resources useful in the
planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs under this Act;
(12) conduct or support research relating to methods of gathering or analyzing
justice statistics;
(13) provide for the development of justice information systems programs and
assistance to the States and units of local government relating to collection,
analysis, or dissemination of justice statistics;
(14) develop and maintain a data processing capability to support the collection,
aggregation, analysis and dissemination of information on the incidence of crime
and the operation of the criminal justice system;
(15) collect, analyze and disseminate comprehensive Federal justice transaction
statistics (including statistics on issues of Federal justice interest such as public
fraud and high technology crime) and to provide technical assistance to and work
jointly with other Federal agencies to improve the availability and quality of
Federal justice data;
(16) provide for the collection, compilation, analysis, publication and
dissemination of information and statistics about the prevalence, incidence, rates,
extent, distribution and attributes of drug offenses, drug related offenses and drug
dependent offenders and further provide for the establishment of a national

clearinghouse to maintain and update a comprehensive and timely data base on all
criminal justice aspects of the drug crisis and to disseminate such information;
(17) provide for the collection, analysis, dissemination and publication of
statistics on the condition and progress of drug control activities at the Federal,
State and local levels with particular attention to programs and intervention
efforts demonstrated to be of value in the overall national anti- drug strategy and
to provide for the establishment of a national clearinghouse for the gathering of
data generated by Federal, State, and local criminal justice agencies on their drug
enforcement activities;
(18) provide for the development and enhancement of State and local criminal
justice information systems, and the standardization of data reporting relating to
the collection, analysis or dissemination of data and statistics about drug offenses,
drug related offenses, or drug dependent offenders;
(19) provide for research and improvements in the accuracy, completeness, and
inclusiveness of criminal history record information, information systems, arrest
warrant, and stolen vehicle record information and information systems and
support research concerning the accuracy, completeness, and inclusiveness of
other criminal justice record information;
(20) maintain liaison with State and local governments and governments of other
nations concerning justice statistics;
(21) cooperate in and participate with national and international organizations in
the development of uniform justice statistics;
(22) ensure conformance with security and privacy requirement of section 3789g
of this title and identify, analyze, and participate in the development and
implementation of privacy, security and information policies which impact on
Federal and State criminal justice operations and related statistical activities; and
(23) exercise the powers and functions set out in subchapter VIII [part H] of this
chapter [title].
(d) Justice statistical collection, analysis, and dissemination. To insure that all justice
statistical collection, analysis, and dissemination is carried out in a coordinated manner,
the Director is authorized to–
(1) utilize, with their consent, the services, equipment, records, personnel,
information, and facilities of other Federal, State, local, and private agencies and
instrumentalities with or without reimbursement therefor, and to enter into
agreements with such agencies and instrumentalities for purposes of data
collection and analysis;
(2) confer and cooperate with State, municipal, and other local agencies;
(3) request such information, data, and reports from any Federal agency as may be
required to carry out the purposes of this chapter [title];
(4) seek the cooperation of the judicial branch of the Federal Government in

gathering data from criminal justice records; and
(5) encourage replication, coordination and sharing among justice agencies
regarding information systems, information policy, and data.
(e) Furnishing of information, data, or reports by Federal agencies. Federal agencies
requested to furnish information, data, or reports pursuant to subsection (d)(3) of this
section shall provide such information to the Bureau as is required to carry out the
purposes of this section.
(f) Consultation with representatives of State and local government and judiciary. In
recommending standards for gathering justice statistics under this section, the Director
shall consult with representatives of State and local government, including, where
appropriate, representatives of the judiciary.
42 USC § 3733

[Sec. 303.] Authority for 100 per centum grants

A grant authorized under this subchapter [part] may be up to 100 per centum of the total
cost of each project for which such grant is made. The Bureau shall require, whenever
feasible as a condition of approval of a grant under this subchapter [part] , that the
recipient contribute money, facilities, or services to carry out the purposes for which the
grant is sought.
42 USC § 3735

[Sec. 304.] Use of data

Data collected by the Bureau shall be used only for statistical or research purposes, and
shall be gathered in a manner that precludes their use for law enforcement or any purpose
relating to a particular individual other than statistical or research purposes.

SUBJECT: Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement | «Case ID»
Dear «Salutation» «ContactLastName»:
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), U.S. Department of Justice, is conducting the Body-Worn
Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement to the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative
Statistics (LEMAS) Program. The goal of the BWC survey is to obtain information on the
reasons for agencies acquiring (or not acquiring) cameras, other means use to document officercitizen interaction, policies and procedures surrounding camera use and handling of the resulting
video files, and other obstacles that exist to camera acquisition and use. The survey includes
items that are relevant to all law enforcement agencies – regardless of whether an agency has
acquired or has considered acquiring body-worn cameras.
We would like to invite your agency to participate in the BWC survey. While this survey is
completely voluntary, the information from your agency is crucial to provide data on how your
agency and others use BWCs (or not), what difficulties you may be experiencing, and how
technologies such as these are impacting policies and procedures.

The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Please complete the survey by
using the following link: «URL» and entering your survey access code «PIN».
We will be happy to assist you with any questions you might have. If you have any general
questions about this data collection, please contact Alexia Cooper, BJS Program Manager, at
<> or <> or Shelley Hyland, BJS Program Manager, at <> or <>. If you have questions about the operation of the web survey, have difficulty accessing
the Web site, or would like a paper copy of the survey, please contact me via phone or e-mail at
<> or <>.
Thank you for your time and attention.

Alissa Chambers
RTI Data Collection Task Leader

SUBJECT: Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement Reminder | «Case ID»
Dear «Salutation» «ContactLastName»:
We recently e-mailed you a link to a web survey seeking information about body-worn cameras
in your law enforcement agency (LEA).
On behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, we are grateful for your participation in the BodyWorn Camera (BWC) Survey.
If you have already completed the survey, thank you. If not, please try to complete the survey
soon. We are interested in your experience even if your agency does not have body-worn
cameras.

Please complete the survey by using the following link: «URL» and entering your survey
access code «PIN».
If you have questions about the BWC survey supplement, have difficulty accessing the Web site,
or would like a paper copy of the survey, please contact me via phone or e-mail at (###) ####### or [email protected].
Thank you for your time and attention.

Alissa Chambers
RTI Data Collection Task Leader

SUBJECT: Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement Reminder | «Case ID»
Dear «Salutation» «ContactLastName»:
We recently e-mailed a link for the Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement to the Law
Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Program to your law
enforcement agency (LEA). «Agency» is among a group of agencies selected to participate in
this data collection.
Your participation is very important. BJS will use responses to this survey to generate valuable
information that can be used by federal, state, and local governments to develop better
approaches to BWC use and deployment.
Please complete the survey by using the following link: «URL» and entering your survey
access code «PIN».
If you have any general comments about this data collection, please contact Alexia Cooper, BJS
Program Manager, at <> or <>or Shelley Hyland, BJS Program Manager, at
<> or <>. If you have questions about the operation of the web survey, have
difficulty accessing the Web site, or would like a paper copy of the survey, please contact me via
phone or e-mail at <> or <>. We will be happy to assist you with any questions
you might have.
Thank you for your time and attention.

Alissa Chambers
RTI Data Collection Task Leader

U. S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics

Washington, D.C. 20531

«Date»
«Salutation» «ContactFirstName» «ContactLastName»
«Agency Name»
«ContactAddress1» «ContactAddress2»
«ContactCity», «ContactState» «ContactZip»
Dear «Salutation» «ContactLastName»:
The «Agency Name» was selected to participate in the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Body-Worn Camera
(BWC) Survey Supplement to the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS)
Program. A month or two ago, a link to a web survey was sent to you at «email». The «Agency Name» is
among a group of agencies selected to participate in this data collection.
We recognize that you may not have received this email or that you have not responded because of time
constraints. We appreciate that your time is limited but the reliability of the study directly depends on the
participation of surveyed agencies; your LEA is important to us and your response is key to understand BWC
use among US law enforcement. The survey includes items that are relevant to all agencies regardless of if you
have acquired or considered acquiring body-worn cameras.
The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Please complete the survey by using the
following link: «URL» and entering your survey access code «PIN».
Alternatively, if you prefer to submit your data via mail, enclosed in this packet you will find a hard copy of the
survey along with a business reply envelope to facilitate the return of your completed form.
Please submit your questionnaire by «date». If you have any general comments about this data collection, please
contact Alexia Cooper, BJS Program Manager, at <> or <> or Shelley Hyland, BJS Program
Manager, at <> or <>. If you have questions about the BWC survey supplement or have
difficulty accessing the Web site, please contact Alissa Chambers, the RTI data collection task leader, via phone
or e-mail at (800) ###-#### or [email protected].
Sincerely,

William J. Sabol, PhD
Director
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Enclosures: Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement to the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative
Statistics (LEMAS) Program; Business reply envelope

Sample Call Script for Nonresponse Telephone Calls
[If call rings to a gatekeeper]
Hello, this is <> calling on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics in the U.S. Department
of Justice regarding the 2016 Body-Worn Camera Survey Supplement. I am following up on a survey
invitation that we sent addressed to <>. May I speak with <>?
[If call rings to POC]
Hello, this is <> calling on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics in the U.S. Department
of Justice regarding the 2016 Body-Worn Camera Survey Supplement. I am following up on an email we
sent to you a few months ago inviting your agency to participate in the survey. We did not hear back
from your agency and we wanted to follow up with you and confirm that you received the messages
that we sent. Have you received our communications?
[IF YES]
[If questions about the survey]
-

-

The BWC survey is a supplement to the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative
Statistics (LEMAS) Program.
The BWC supplement examines reasons for acquiring cameras (or not), alternate means of
documenting officer-citizen interaction, policies and procedures surrounding camera use
and handling of the resulting video files, and any obstacles to camera acquisition and use.
It includes items that are relevant to all law enforcement agencies – regardless of whether
the agency has acquired or has considered acquiring body-worn cameras.
BJS will use the data collected under this Program only for research and statistical purposes.
The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

[Offer assistance to complete]
Is there anything I can do to assist you in completing the survey? A hard copy version is available if
you would prefer to submit the information via mail. Alternatively, I can walk through the survey
with you over the phone.
[If prompting agency to complete only critical items]
BJS considers the following items to be most critical: <>. Would you be able to provide
responses to just those items?
[If agency says they do not intend to respond]
Thank you for letting us know. Would you be willing to share with us why you have chosen not to
participate?
[IF NO]
Let me review the information we have on file for your agency. [Review e-mail address and
mailing address.]

Ask for the POC’s preferred method of contact and offer to re-send the information.

SUBJECT: Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey Supplement Final Reminder | «Case ID»
Dear «Salutation» «ContactLastName»:
We have made several attempts to contact you over the past few months regarding your
participation in the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Survey
Supplement to the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS)
Program. Your law enforcement agency is among a group of agencies selected to participate in
this data collection.
We are writing today to notify you that there is only one week remaining to complete the survey.
As a reminder, your participation is vital to the success of the BWC survey supplement and we
cannot substitute any other agency for yours. The survey includes items that are relevant to all
agencies – regardless of whether the agency has acquired or has considered acquiring body-worn
cameras – and will help to provide a better understanding of how your agency (and others like
yours) are using BWCs (or not), what difficulties you are experiencing, and how technologies
such as these are impacting LEA’s policies and procedures.
The questionnaire will remain open until «Date». Please complete the questionnaire by using
the following link: «URL» and entering your survey access code «PIN».
If you have any general comments about this data collection, please contact Alexia Cooper, BJS
Program Manager, at <> or <> or Shelley Hyland, BJS Program Manager, at
<> or <>. If you have questions about the operation of the web survey, have
difficulty accessing the Web site, or would like a paper copy of the survey, please contact me via
phone or e-mail at <> or <>. We will be happy to assist you with any questions
you might have.
Thank you for your time and attention.

Alissa Chambers
RTI Data Collection Task Leader

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

Introductory information
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), in partnership with RTI International, is
conducting a survey about the use of body-worn cameras. The Body Worn Camera
Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative
Statistics (LEMAS) Survey includes items that are relevant to all law enforcement
agencies – regardless of whether your agency has acquired or has considered
acquiring these cameras.
The BWCS seeks additional information that has not been fully captured by other
recent surveys examining use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement agencies.
The survey examines reasons for acquiring cameras (or not), alternate means of
documenting officer-citizen interactions, policies and procedures about camera use
and handling of the resulting video files, and obstacles to camera acquisition and use.
Please complete this survey even if your agency does not currently have bodyworn cameras.
This survey should be filled out by your law enforcement agency’s chief executive or
another individual who is most knowledgeable about your agency’s plans or
experiences with body-worn cameras.
The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

1

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

2

Agency Information
Agency Information
Please provide or update your agency’s information below, as necessary. Contact
information will only be used if needed to follow-up on survey submission.

1) Agency name _________________________________________________
2) Agency 9-digit ORI number used for reporting purposes ____________
3) Type of Agency: Local Police, County Police, Sheriff’s Office, Primary State,
Other- OPEN ENDED RESPONSE, NO VALIDATION

4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

Primary contact name
_______________________________________
Primary contact rank/title _______________________________________
Primary contact email
_______________________________________
Primary contact phone
_______________________________________
Approximate number of full-time equivalent (FTE) sworn officers _______

Check here if you want to designate a new point of contact for future LEMAS
surveys: [CHECK BOX]
Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Check here if…" is “True”

1)
2)
3)
4)

Updated contact name
Updated contact rank/title
Updated contact email
Updated contact phone

_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

3

Officer/Citizen Interaction
Records of Officer/Citizen Interaction
First, we would like to know about how your agency collects information about
officer-citizen interactions. If you are unsure of the correct response to any
question, please provide your best guess or estimate.
5) Has your agency acquired any of the following tools to record officer-citizen
interactions (select one response for each tool)?
Agency has acquired in
any form
(including testing)

Agency has not
acquired

Body-worn cameras

[]

[]

Car dashboard cameras

[]

[]

Personal audio recorders

[]

[]

Other event-recording equipment

[]

[]

Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Other event-recording equipment" is one of the following
answers ("Agency has acquired")

6)

What other event-recording equipment does your agency use?
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- TEXT VALIDATION

______________________________________________________________________________

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

4

Page entry logic: This page will show when: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the
following answers ("Agency has acquired")
Body-worn Cameras
The next set of questions ask about your agency’s experience with body-worn
cameras. If you are unsure of the correct response to any question, please
provide your best guess or estimate.
Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired")
7)

When did your agency first get body-worn cameras (provide estimate if exact month
and year are unknown)?
SELECT MONTH:

SELECT YEAR:

Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired")
8)

About how many body-worn cameras are currently in service?
[ ] Open ended response, numeric response validation

9)

This number is an:
[ ] Estimate
[ ] Actual count of deployed devices

Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired")
10)

How would you describe the current state of body-worn camera deployment in your
agency?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

5

[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know
11)

Do you plan to deploy additional body-worn cameras in the next 12 months?
[ ] Yes- Please specify the anticipated number of BWCs that will be purchased
[ ] No
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND “Level of deployment is one of the following answers
(“Limited deployment / exploratory”, “Partial deployment”, “Complete deployment for
some assignments / partial deployment in others”)
12)

What has prevented a full deployment of body-worn cameras?
Please check all that apply.
[ ] Insufficient funding
[ ] Lack of data storage capacity
[ ] Lack of staff to handle video footage resulting from BWC
[ ] Benefits remain unclear
[ ] Lack of officer support
[ ] Lack of union support
[ ] Lack of supervisory or leadership support
[ ] Insufficient time to complete deployment
[ ] Inability to acquire sufficient hardware
[ ] Currently vetting vendor offerings
[ ] Technological challenges (e.g. limited upload bandwidth)
[ ] Unresolved legal or policy issues
[ ] Other- (Please Specify) OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

________________________________________________________________________

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

6

Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired")

13)

Why did your agency get body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply.
[ ] Improve officer safety
[ ] Improve training
[ ] Improve officer professionalism
[ ] Improve officer/agency accountability
[ ] Improve evidence quality
[ ] Improve community perceptions of the agency
[ ] Reduce agency liability
[ ] Reduce use of force incidents
[ ] Reduce or more quickly resolve citizen complaints
[ ] Simplify incident review
[ ] Strengthen police leadership
[ ] Make cases more prosecutable
[ ] To receive funding that required purchase of body-worn cameras
[ ] Response to external pressures (e.g. legislative, judicial or executive mandate from
outside of the police agency)
[ ] Conduct a pilot test to determine body-worn camera feasibility and utility
[ ] Other- (Please Specify) OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (((Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the
body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 ) AND (((((((((((((((((Question "What were the primary
reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Enhance officer safety") AND
Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

7

Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Improve agency accountability"))
AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Improve evidential quality"))
AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Support public order and
accountability")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the bodyworn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Reduce agency liability")) AND
Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Simplify incident review")) AND
Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Enhance new recruit and inservice training through post-incident use of videos")) AND Question "What were the
primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Improve community and media
perceptions of the agency")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring
the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Strengthen police leadership"))
AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Advance prosecution and case
resolution")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn
camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Enhance officer performance and
professionalism")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the bodyworn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Increase homeland security"))
AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Upgrade technology policies and
procedures")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the bodyworn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("To receive funding that required
purchase of body-worn cameras")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for
acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

8

Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Legislative, judicial or executive
mandate from outside of the police agency")) AND Question "What were the primary
reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Conduct a pilot test to determine
body-worn camera feasibility and utility")) AND Question "What were the primary
reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Not Sure")) AND Question "What
were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Other (Please specify)"))) AND
(((((((((((((((Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn
camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Enhance officer safety", "Other
(Please specify)") AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the bodyworn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Improve agency accountability",
"Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring
the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Improve evidential quality",
"Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring
the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Support public order and
accountability", "Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons
for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Reduce agency liability", "Other
(Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the bodyworn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Simplify incident review", "Other
(Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the bodyworn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Enhance new recruit and inservice training through post-incident use of videos", "Other (Please specify)")) AND
Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Improve community and media
perceptions of the agency", "Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

9

primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Strengthen police leadership",
"Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring
the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Advance prosecution and case
resolution", "Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for
acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Enhance officer performance and
professionalism", "Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary
reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Increase homeland security",
"Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons for acquiring
the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Upgrade technology policies and
procedures", "Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were the primary reasons
for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("To receive funding that required
purchase of body-worn cameras", "Other (Please specify)")) AND Question "What were
the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Legislative, judicial or executive
mandate from outside of the police agency", "Other (Please specify)")) AND Question
"What were the primary reasons for acquiring the body-worn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply." #16 is not exactly equal to ("Conduct a pilot test to determine
body-worn camera feasibility and utility", "Other (Please specify)")))
Piping: Piped Values From Question 16. (What were the primary reasons for acquiring the bodyworn camera(s)?
Please check all that apply.
14)

Which of these was the most important reason for acquiring body-worn cameras?

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

10

(untitled)
Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired")
The next set of questions ask about your agency's policies surrounding the
transfer, storage, and disposal of video files resulting from body-worn cameras. If
you are unsure of the correct response to any question, please provide your best
guess or estimate.
15)

Does your agency have a formal policy on the use of body-worn cameras or the
video footage recorded by those cameras?
[ ] Yes
[ ] Under development / Policy is in draft form
[ ] No
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

16)

Were any published guidelines from independent sources (such as the NIJ, BJA,
PERF, IACP, CALEA, etc.) used in the formulation of policies and procedures
regarding body-worn camera deployment, use, or video storage?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

(untitled)
Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Does your agency have a formal policy on the use
of body-worn cameras or the video footage recorded by those cameras?" #20 is one of the
following answers ("Yes"), (Under development / Policy is in draft form))

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey
17)

11

Select all the topics covered by your agency’s body-worn camera (or related) policy.
Yes

No

Unsure

What events to record
When/how to inform citizens they are being recorded
Transfer, storage, or disposal of video
Frequency of uploading or offloading video
Officers are allowed to review footage before making
a formal statement
Periodic/routine supervisor review of footage
Public release of raw (unredacted) video footage
Content/objects that must be redacted
18)

Does your agency use BWC footage to inform and/or develop in-service training?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Select all the topics covered by your agency’s bodyworn cameras (or related) policy, What events to record" is one of the following answers
("Yes"))
19)

In what situations are officers required to turn on their body-worn cameras?
Please select all that apply.
[ ] Responding to routine calls for service
[ ] Traffic stops
[ ] Officer-initiated citizen contact
[ ] Firearms deployments
[ ] Public order policing
[ ] Policing public events
[ ] Criminal investigations
[ ] Special operations
[ ] Executing arrest or search warrants
[ ] Transporting offenders
[ ] Other- (Please Specify) OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

12

[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Select all the topics covered by your agency’s bodyworn camera (or related) policy, Transfer, storage, or disposal of video" is one of the following
answers ("Yes"))
20)

Per policy, how long must typical video files be retained?
[ ] Files are not stored unless manually flagged
[ ] 30 days or less
[ ] 1 month up to one year
[ ] More than 1 year and up to 5 years
[ ] More than 5 years
[ ] Indefinitely
[ ] Other- (Please Specify) OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

21)

Under what circumstances would video files be retained for a longer periods of
time?
Please select all that apply.
[ ] Associated with officer use of force
[ ] Associated with a citizen complaint
[ ] Used as evidence in a legal proceeding
[ ] Officer request
[ ] At the request of supervisor or agency management
[ ] FOIA or other public access request
[ ] Other- (Please Specify) OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

(untitled)

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

13

Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired")
22)

Have body-worn cameras been deployed to officers assigned to any of the following
duties?
Please select all that apply.
[ ] Traditional patrol / vehicle-based patrols
[ ] Primarily proactive / self-initiated public contacts
[ ] Foot patrols
[ ] Bicycle patrols
[ ] Motorcycle patrols
[ ] Traffic enforcement
[ ] Warrant executions
[ ] Criminal investigations
[ ] Drug enforcement
[ ] Detention and transfers
[ ] SWAT operations
[ ] N/A - Our agency has acquired officer worn cameras, but has not begun using them
yet.
[ ] Other (Please specify): OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

(untitled)
Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("traditional patrol /
vehicle-based patrol "))
23)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in traditional patrol / vehicle-based patrol?

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

14

[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("proactive / self-initiated
public contacts"))
24)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in primarily proactive/ self-initiated public contacts?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("foot patrols"))
25)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in foot patrols?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

15

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("bicycle patrols"))

26)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in bicycle patrols?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("Motorcycle patrols"))
27)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in motorcycle patrols?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("traffic enforcement"))

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey
28)

16

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in traffic enforcement?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("Warrant executions"))
29)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in warrant executions?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("Criminal investigations"))
30)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in criminal investigations?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

17

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("Special operations, such
as drug trafficking"))
31)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in drug enforcement?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("Detention and
transfers"))
32)

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in detentions and transfers?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired") AND Question "Do any officers assigned to the duties described
below wear body cameras on a regular basis?
Please select all that apply." #26 is one of the following answers ("SWAT"))

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey
33)

18

What best describes the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers primarily
engaged in SWAT operations?
[ ] Exploratory/pilot deployment
[ ] Partial deployment
[ ] Complete deployment for some assignments / partial deployment in others
[ ] Full deployment to all intended personnel
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

(untitled)
Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired")
34)

Select all the features present on your body-worn camera system?
Please select all that apply.
[ ] Time / date stamp
[ ] Variable camera placement (e.g. eyewear, lapel, other part of uniform)
[ ] Pre-event video buffer (e.g. the device continuously records video which is saved
when the device is activated)
[ ] Capable of recording in low light conditions
[ ] Playback screen
[ ] Minimum battery life (Please specify hours) OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC
VALIDATION
[ ] Global Positioning System (GPS) information
[ ] Safeguards against inadvertent video file corruption, loss, or tampering
[ ] Officer down alerts
[ ] Officer event tagging
[ ] Flexible placement (e.g. lapel mount, chest mount, glasses mount)
[ ] Other (Please specify): OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

19

(untitled)
Logic: Hidden unless: Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired")
35)

Indicate your degree of agreement with the following statements:
Strongly
disagree

Implementation was more
expensive than anticipated
Implementation required
more staff time than
anticipated
BWCs provide reliable
evidence of officer-citizen
interactions
BWCs have been useful in
protecting officers from
unwarranted complaints
BWCs have been a useful tool
for supervising officers
BWCs have improved
professionalism of officers
BWCs have helped identify
instances of officer
misconduct that might not
have been identified without
them
BWCs have improved
relationships between the
agency and the community

Disagree Agree

Strongly
agree

Don’t
know

Too
soon to
know

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

20

(untitled)
Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the following answers
("Agency has acquired"))
The next set of questions ask about your agency's experience and procedures
around the use and dissemination of videos produced by body-worn cameras.
36)

Does your agency keep a log of or otherwise track internal (i.e., law enforcement
agency staff) access to video files?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

37)

Who has direct access to view video files? In other words, who can access the files
without filing a formal request?
Please select all that apply
[ ] Chief executive of law enforcement agency
[ ] Executive staff of law enforcement agency
[ ] Internal affairs
[ ] Head of information technology group in the law enforcement agency
[ ] Other information technology staff in the law enforcement agency
[ ] Officer that made the video recording
[ ] Supervisor of officer that made the video recording
[ ] Other sworn law enforcement agency staff
[ ] Other non-sworn law enforcement agency staff
[ ] District attorney’s office
[ ] Vendor staff
[ ] Other (Please specify): OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] None of the above
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

38)

On average, how many times per month does the public request video generated by
body-worn cameras?
[ ] 0 requests

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey
[ ] 1 – 5 requests
[ ] 6 – 10 requests
[ ] 11 – 15 requests
[ ] 16 or more requests
[ ] Public has never requested video generated by BWC
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know
Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "On average, how many times per month…" answers
greater than 0)
39)

On average, how much staff time does it take to produce a video requested by the
public? This should be actual staff time needed to conduct retrieval, redaction, and
dissemination, not necessarily the amount of time between video request and video
dissemination.
[ ] Less than 60 minutes
[ ] 1-2 hours
[ ] 3-4 hours
[ ] 5-6 hours
[ ] 7-8 hours
[ ] More than 9 hours
[ ] Public has never requested video generated by BWC
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

40)

Has you agency ever denied the public’s access to body-worn camera footage?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[ ] Public has never requested video generated by BWC
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "Has your agency ever denied…" is “yes”)
41)

Under what conditions have video requests from the public been denied?
[ ] The video was part of an ongoing investigation

21

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

22

[ ] The video would have deprived a person of their right to a fair trial
[ ] The video constituted an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy
[ ] The video risked identifying confidential sources
[ ] The video revealed techniques and procedures for investigations that could be used to
circumvent the law
[ ] The video would have endangered the life or safety of an individual
[ ] Other (please specify): OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

42)

What obstacles have your agency encountered in using cameras or the associated
video?
Please select all that apply.
[ ] Concerns about the security of the information contained in the videos
[ ] Concerns about procedures surrounding storage of the videos
[ ] Concerns about privacy
[ ] Concerns about liability
[ ] Costs were greater than anticipated
[ ] Burden of replying to public/agency requests for video data
[ ] Lack of public support
[ ] Lack of officer support
[ ] Lack of support from labor union or other group representing officers
[ ] Cameras use has not benefitted the agency as expected
[ ] Technical obstacles to implementation (e.g., poor video or sound quality)
[ ] Other (Please specify) : OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

(untitled)

Please select all that apply. " #50 ) AND Question "Body-worn cameras" is one of the
following answers ("Agency has acquired")) AND ((((((((((Question "What obstacles has

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

23

your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Concerns about the security of the
information contained in the videos") AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or
your officers encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Concerns about procedures
surrounding storage of the videos, including storage capacity")) AND Question "What
obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras or the associated
video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Concerns about privacy")) AND
Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras
or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Costs to maintain and use the
cameras are greater than anticipated")) AND Question "What obstacles has your agency
or your officers encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Concerns about liability")) AND
Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras
or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Lack of public support")) AND
Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras
or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Lack of officer support")) AND
Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras
or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Cameras use has not benefitted
the agency as expected")) AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers
encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Technical obstacles to
implementation (e.g., poor video or sound quality, video does not turn on)")) AND
Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras
or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Lack of support from labor union
or other group representing officers")) AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or
your officers encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Other (Please specify) "))) AND
(((((((((Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

24

cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Concerns about the security of the
information contained in the videos", "Other (Please specify) ") AND Question "What
obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras or the associated
video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Concerns about procedures
surrounding storage of the videos, including storage capacity", "Other (Please specify) "))
AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using
cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Concerns about privacy", "Other
(Please specify) ")) AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers
encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Costs to maintain and use the
cameras are greater than anticipated", "Other (Please specify) ")) AND Question "What
obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras or the associated
video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Concerns about liability", "Other
(Please specify) ")) AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers
encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Lack of public support", "Other
(Please specify) ")) AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers
encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Lack of officer support", "Other
(Please specify) ")) AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers
encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Cameras use has not benefitted
the agency as expected", "Other (Please specify) ")) AND Question "What obstacles has
your agency or your officers encountered in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Technical obstacles to
implementation (e.g., poor video or sound quality, video does not turn on)","Other (Please
specify) ")) AND Question "What obstacles has your agency or your officers encountered
in using cameras or the associated video?
Please select all that apply. " #50 is not exactly equal to ("Lack of support from labor union
or other group representing officers", "Other (Please specify) ")))
Piping: Piped Values From Question 50. (What obstacles has your agency or your officers
encountered in using cameras or the associated video?

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

25

Please select all that apply. )
43)

Of these, which is the greatest obstacle you have encountered?

Page entry logic: This page will show when: Question "Has your agency acquired any of the
following tools to record officer-citizen interactions (select one response for each tool)?: Bodyworn cameras" is ("Agency has not acquired")

Body-worn Cameras
We are interested in your agency’s plans to acquire or experience considering
body-worn cameras.
44)

What are the primary reasons that your agency has not acquired any body-worn
cameras?
Please select all that apply.
[ ] No perceived need for the technology
[ ] Lack of community support
[ ] Lack of support from agency leadership
[ ] Lack of support from patrol officers
[ ] Cost of hardware
[ ] Cost of training
[ ] Cost of ongoing maintenance/support
[ ] Costs of video storage and/or disposal
[ ] Costs of managing public records request and/or video redaction
[ ] Privacy concerns
[ ] Liability concerns
[ ] Likelihood of technical difficulties with camera operation
[ ] Obstacles associated with transfer and storage of videos
[ ] Other (Please specify) : OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey
45)

How likely are you to consider acquiring body-worn cameras in the next year?
[ ] Very likely
[ ] Likely
[ ] Unlikely
[ ] Very unlikely
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

46)

What factors will determine whether you explore body-worn cameras in the next
year (select all that apply)?
[ ] Public expectations
[ ] Leadership directives
[ ] Initial acquisition costs
[ ] Ongoing maintenance costs
[ ] Privacy concerns
[ ] Liability concerns
[ ] Support from agency leadership
[ ] Support from patrol officers
[ ] Communication or relationship with vendor(s)
[ ] Other similar or nearby jurisdictions acquiring BWC
[ ] Other (Please specify): OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NO VALIDATION
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "likely to explore acquiring" is one of the following
answers ("Very likely") or (“Likely”)

47)

When do you anticipate acquiring body-worn cameras?
[ ] Within the next 3 months
[ ] 4 – 6 months
[ ] 7 – 12 months
[ ] More than 12 months
[ ] No anticipated date
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

26

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey
48)

27

How supportive do you think patrol officers would be if your agency implemented
body-worn cameras?
[ ] Very supportive
[ ] Somewhat supportive
[ ] Not supportive
[ ] Officers would likely not have a reaction one way or the other
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

49)

How supportive do you think the community would be if your agency implemented
body-worn cameras?
[ ] Very supportive
[ ] Somewhat supportive
[ ] Not supportive
[ ] Community would likely not have a reaction one way or the other
[ ] Unsure / Don’t know

Page entry logic: This page will show for all users.
54. Does your agency formally document and store civilian complaints against sworn
officers in paper or electronic format?
[ ] Yes- Electronic only
[ ] Yes- Paper only
[ ] Yes- Both paper and electronic records
[ ] No- Agency does not document and store civilian complaints
Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "agency document complaints" is one of the following
answers ("Yes”)
55. Are these paper or electronic civilian complaint records easily retrievable?

[ ] Yes
[ ] No
Logic: Hidden unless: (Question "easily retrievable" is one of the following answers
("Yes”)

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

28

56. How many formal civilian complaints against sworn officers were received in 2015?
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
57. Of the civilian complaints identified in question 56, how many involved at least one
allegation of excessive use of physical force?
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
58. For the civilian complaints reporting excessive use of physical force, what was the total
number allegations related to excessive use of physical force? (There may be more than
one allegation per complaint)
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
59. For the allegations identified in question 58, how many were:
a. Unfounded (the complaint was not based on facts, or reported incident did not occur)
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
b. Exonerated (The incident occurred, but officer action was deemed lawful and proper)
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
c. Not sustained (Insufficient evidence to prove the allegation)
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
d. Sustained (Sufficient evidence to justify disciplinary action against the officer(s))
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
e. Pending (Final disposition of the allegation has not been made)
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
f. Other disposition (e.g., withdrawn)
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION
g. Total use of force allegations (sum of lines a through f)
[ ] OPEN ENDED RESPONSE- NUMERIC VALIDATION. Should equal sum of lines a
through f, should also equal 58

Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and
Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

29

Thank You!
Thank you for participating in this survey. BJS and RTI will be analyzing and
disseminating information on body-worn cameras in the coming months. If you
have any questions about this survey, please contact RTI Data Collection
Manager Alissa Chambers at 919-541-6340 or [email protected]. Information
on all of BJS’s law enforcement data collection and dissemination activities can
be found at www.bjs.gov.

Front Side 
Title Page 
LEMAS BWC Supplement‐ The Body‐Worn Camera Supplement to the Law Enforcement 
Management and Administration Statistics (LEMAS) Survey 

Conducted by 
Bureau of Justice Statistics, US Department of Justice 
RTI International 

Where can I find out more about the LEMAS BWC Supplement? 
Any questions about the LEMAS BWC Supplement can be directed to:  

Travis Taniguchi, PhD 
Research Criminologist 
 RTI International 
3040 E Cornwallis Blvd, RTP, NC 27709 
[email protected] 
(v) 919‐248‐8501 

For information about BJS’s Law Enforcement Core Statistics Program, contact:  
Shelley Hyland, PhD 
Statistician 
Bureau of Justice Statistics 
810 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20531 
[email protected] 
(v) 202‐305‐5552 

LEMAS BWC Supplement Schedule 
Winter 2016 
 Agency heads invited to participate in the LEMAS BWC Supplement will be asked to 
designate a point of contact for the survey 
 RTI will provide the point of contact with a web link the survey and login instructions 
 Agencies will be asked to provide a response by [DATE] 

Spring‐Summer 2016 
 Survey data will be processed and analyzed 
 BJS and RTI will draft a report on survey findings 

Fall 2016 
 BJS will publish a report on survey findings 

Backside 
What is the LEMAS BWC Survey?  
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is sponsoring the body‐worn camera (BWC) supplement to 
the Law Enforcement Management and Administration Statistics (LEMAS) Survey. The LEMAS 
BWC Supplement is a nationwide effort that will facilitate a clear understanding of current BWC 
adoption among law enforcement agencies. BJS is collaborating with RTI International to 
conduct this survey.  

Why is the LEMAS BWC Survey important? 
Despite this widespread attention, law enforcement agencies and the public lack foundational 
information on the use of BWCs. Limited national data are available on how many agencies are 
using BWCs, and very little information exists about how those agencies are deploying the 
cameras or what difficulties were experienced when establishing their BWC programs. In 
addition, no systematic information is available regarding why an agency may choose not to 
acquire cameras. Statistics on the prevalence of BWC usage, technical capabilities of BWC 
systems, and departmental policies on use and storage of BWC‐generated footage are critical 
for establishing federal, state, and local funding priorities. This information will also inform 
research projects on the impact of BWCs on police performance and public perceptions of police 
within the communities they serve.  

Who is being asked to participate?  
Approximately 5,000 agencies were selected to participate in this effort. Each agency that was 
selected to participate is critical – agencies are not replaceable. We are seeking responses from 
agencies regardless of their BWC use. Agencies that have not adopted BWC technology should 
complete the survey.  

What will you be asked to do? 
Agency heads will be asked to designate a staff member to complete the survey. The agency 
point of contact will be provided information on how to access the online survey (or request a 
paper survey if desired). The website will be secure and will allow respondents to save and close 
the survey at any time. The survey can be reopened later to enter or edit responses until the 
final responses are submitted. Paper copies can be requested and will be sent with a postage 
paid return envelope. The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.  

What information will the LEMAS BWC collect?  
Topics addressed in the LEMAS BWC Supplement include:  
 Number of BWCs currently in use 
 Reasons for adopting BWCs 
 BWC deployment strategies 
 Policies regarding BWC use and video retention 
 BWC technology characteristics 
 Changes in use of force 
 For agencies that have not adopted BWCs 
o Reasons for not acquiring  
o Future plans to acquire  
o Perceived support for acquisition 

How will the data be used?  
The LEMAS BWC supplement will provide important information on the current state of BWC 
use, deployment, policies, and barriers to future deployment. It will help to address the current 
limited information on BWC use by law enforcement agencies. Data from this survey may be 
used to develop a better understanding of BWC use and deployment, prioritize BWC funding, 
and help guide best practices in policy development.  

Why should my agency respond to the LEMAS BWC?  
The LEMAS BWC supplement is critical to understanding BWC adoption among law enforcement 
agencies. The study will provide reliable national estimates on the use and deployment of BWCs. 
This survey will provide foundational knowledge on which future data collection efforts are 
based. These future surveys will allow policymakers to understand how BWC adoption and use 
has changed over time. Understanding changing BWC use over time is essential to organizations 
that may provide funding for the acquisition of BWCs.