Prevent police withholding bodycam footage under FOIA

Summary

Amend the Freedom of Information Act to prevent the police withholding bodycam footage from closed cases. We think this would improve transparency, accountability, and public trust in policing, provided GDPR and legal protections are respected. We ask for police bodycam footage from closed cases to be subject to FOI requests, while maintaining compliance with GDPR. Bodycams and video storage are publicly funded so we think they should be subject to public scrutiny. In the US, similar footage is sometimes released, and can promote trust. If cases are closed and GDPR is complied with, we think there is no valid reason to withhold footage. It could help ensure transparency, accountability, and responsible use of public resources.

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Timeline

1. 19 April 2025

   Petition

   Amend the Freedom of Information Act to prevent the police withholding bodycam footage from closed cases. We think this would improve transparency, accountability, and public trust in policing, provided GDPR and legal protections are respected. We ask for police bodycam footage from closed cases to be subject to FOI requests, while maintaining compliance with GDPR. Bodycams and video storage are publicly funded so we think they should be subject to public scrutiny. In the US, similar footage is sometimes released, and can promote trust. If cases are closed and GDPR is complied with, we think there is no valid reason to withhold footage. It could help ensure transparency, accountability, and responsible use of public resources.

   Source: Petition

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