Police CAMERA Act Offers Grants for Body-Worn Cameras, Sets Rules for Use & Data: Rollout Starts 2026

The "Police Creating Accountability by Making Effective Recording Available Act of 2025," or Police CAMERA Act, is launching a grant program to get body-worn cameras on more cops across the country. It's not just about handing out cameras, though – this bill sets some serious ground rules for how they're used and what happens to the footage. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is running the show, offering grants to state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies starting in 2026, with $30,000,000 earmarked for the program through 2028.

Funding the Cameras, Framing the Rules

This act is about more than just buying equipment. It's trying to strike a balance between boosting police accountability and protecting people's privacy. The grants cover 75% of the cost of cameras, training, and data storage – but agencies have to put up the other 25% (unless they can prove real financial hardship). The money comes in two parts: 50% upfront, and the rest after the agency shows they've got solid policies in place. These policies are a big deal – they have to be developed before officers start using the cameras, and they cover everything from when to record, how to store data securely, and how to protect people's privacy rights. The bill even throws in a requirement to get community input on these policies (Section 2(b)(1)(A)).

Real-World Rollout: From the Street to the Station

Imagine a scenario: an officer responds to a domestic disturbance call. Under this act, they'd need to have clear guidelines on when to activate their camera, and if they get consent from the victim before recording (Section 2(b)(1)(D)(ii)). If force is used, that footage becomes crucial evidence, and the act requires collecting stats on use-of-force incidents, broken down by race, ethnicity, gender, and age (Section 2(b)(1)(E)(i)). That data, along with any complaints filed against officers, has to be tracked and reported.

But what if the camera isn't rolling? The act requires protocols for explaining any unrecorded activity (Section 2(b)(1)(D)(i)). And if someone files a complaint, the footage (or lack thereof) becomes key evidence. The act also limits using facial recognition on the footage – requiring a judge's order and double verification (Section 2(b)(1)(B)).

Data: Storage, Security, and Sharing

All that footage has to go somewhere, and the act is pretty strict about it. Data has to be stored securely, with regular security checks (Section 2(b)(1)(C)(iv)). Access is logged, and unauthorized access is a no-go (Section 2(b)(1)(D)(iv-v)). The footage can be used to investigate misconduct, if there's reasonable suspicion of a crime, or for some training (Section 2(b)(1)(F)(i-iii)). Sharing data with other agencies is limited to criminal investigations or civil rights claims (Section 2(b)(1)(F)(iv)). And, importantly, the act says data has to be released according to state open record laws, and it has to be available to both prosecutors and defense attorneys (Section 2(b)(1)(C)(iii)).

Looking Ahead: Audits, Studies, and Tweaks

The act isn't just a one-and-done deal. Within two years, there's an assessment of the whole grant program and the policies agencies put in place (Section 2(d)(1)). Grant recipients have to submit annual progress reports (Section 2(d)(2)). There's even a training toolkit coming, with best practices and model policies (Section 2(e)). And, to top it off, there's a mandated study on how well body-worn cameras actually work, with policy recommendations due to Congress within 180 days of the study's completion (Section 2(g)). This all means that the rules and procedures around body-worn cameras could evolve based on real-world results.