Page:United States Secret Service Body-Worn Camera Policy.pdf/3



When equipped with a BWC, Secret Service personnel will activate their BWC, i.e., record law enforcement encounters that fall within the scope of this policy at the start of an event or as soon as safely possible thereafter and continue recording until involvement in an event has concluded.

Secret Service personnel shall deactivate their BWCs when their role in an event has concluded, e.g., they are leaving the scene of an encounter or have completed their interaction with the subject or subjects involved in an encounter.

When conducting a pre-planned attempt to serve an arrest warrant or other pre-planned arrest, or during the execution of a search or seizure warrant or order, Secret Service personnel will deactivate their BWCs when the scene is secured as determined by the Secret Service supervisor on the scene. For purposes of this policy, the term "secured" means that the scene is safe and under law enforcement control.

If BWC equipped Secret Service personnel fail or are otherwise unable to activate their camera, they may be required to provide a statement indicating the reason why they failed or were otherwise unable to activate their camera.


 * Secret Service personnel will not activate BWCs while working in protected buildings or inside the perimeter (the secure fence/external barrier) of protected grounds. This generally applies to areas that are not accessible to the general public and includes, but is not limited to, the White House Mansion, Vice President's Residence, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, New Executive Office Building, and Treasury Building.
 * Special Agents, Investigative Protection Officers, Special Officers, Protective Support Technicians, Protection Officers, Technical Security Investigators, and Physical Security Specialists will not wear BWCs when engaged in protective duties, e.g., standing post, riding in motorcades, or conducting advances.
 * In general, Secret Service personnel will not activate BWCs during non-custodial protective intelligence interviews. Refer to the Investigative Manual, section INV-18, Suspect Interviews and Statements, for exceptions and requirements pertaining to the recording of custodial interviews.
 * Secret Service personnel engaged in counter surveillance assignments, mobile wireless investigations, or crime-scene processing duties will not be required to wear BWCs.
 * Secret Service personnel assigned to an Explosive Detection Team (EDT) will not be required to activate BWCs while conducting EDT operations.
 * Secret Service personnel should attempt to record interviews of witnesses or victims and may use BWCs to record these statements. BWCs may be deactivated upon request of a witness or victim. Secret Service personnel are not required to stop BWC recordings if the recording is the result of engagement in a law enforcement encounter. To the greatest extent possible, Secret Service personnel will record the witness or victim's request to deactivate prior to deactivating their BWC. Refer to INV-19, Witness Interviews and Statements, for further guidance.