For this bill, Law Enforcement Officer means any sworn peace officer working for a city, county, or state agency in

Minnesota. A Body-Worn Camera is any audio or video recording device issued by a department and worn on an officer’s

uniform. On Duty means any time an officer is performing official work, including patrol, responding to calls, or

conducting investigations. Continuous Activation means the camera must stay recording for the entire on-duty period,

except during legally protected privacy situations such as restroom use, medical-privacy settings, or conversations with

confidential informants.

 

The purpose of this bill is to require all Minnesota law enforcement officers to keep their body-worn cameras activated

at all times while on duty, except during approved privacy-sensitive situations. This will increase transparency,

improve documentation of police-civilian interactions, and strengthen accountability across all law enforcement agencies

in Minnesota.

 

Studies show body-worn cameras significantly reduce complaints and use-of-force incidents. Departments using them have

reported up to a 30% decrease in citizen complaints, a 37% reduction in use-of-force incidents, and in some

jurisdictions, complaints fell by over 80% after cameras were implemented. Continuous activation ensures these benefits

are consistent and reliable. This bill will help increase public trust, improve officer safety, and provide accurate,

impartial evidence during investigations.

 

For this bill, Law Enforcement Officer means any sworn peace officer working for a city, county, or state agency in

Minnesota. A Body-Worn Camera is any audio or video recording device issued by a department and worn on an officer’s

uniform. On Duty means any time an officer is performing official work, including patrol, responding to calls, or

conducting investigations. Continuous Activation means the camera must stay recording for the entire on-duty period,

except during legally protected privacy situations such as restroom use, medical-privacy settings, or conversations with

confidential informants.

 

Funding for this bill will come from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s existing technology and training funds,

supplemented by federal public-safety grants. Agencies may apply for additional support from a statewide equipment grant

program to cover storage, maintenance, and technology needs.

 

1.Officers who intentionally deactivate their body-worn cameras without approved justification will face:

First offense: 14-day unpaid suspension.

Second offense: 60-day unpaid suspension and mandatory retraining.

Third offense: Immediate termination from the department.

2. Law enforcement agencies that fail to enforce continuous activation requirements may have up to 20% of their annual

state public-safety funding withheld until compliance is fully restored.

 

January 1st, 2027