This web page summarizes and provides access to two full reports that provide criminal justice agency procurement officials and policymakers information on the use and procurement of police body-worn cameras.
Under funding by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the John's Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) conducted two studies: "A Market Survey on Body-Worn Camera Technologies" and "A Primer on Body-Worn Camera Technology." The market survey of body-worn camera technologies presents an overview of the claimed key attributes of 66 commercially available body-worn camera models offered by 38 vendors, as well as four stand-alone body-worn camera video management software systems. This information was obtained primarily through an Internet search, supplemented by a request for information published in the Federal Register and outreach to vendors. The information in this report includes, but is not limited to, suggested retail price, weight, and dimensions; capability of the camera to record in low light; capability to record audio; and length of time the camera can record without recharging the battery. A summary table enables a comparison of the attributes of the featured cameras. The Primer on Body-Worn Camera Technology informs agency policymakers about various considerations related to an agency's purchase and implementation of body-worn cameras into current systems, including the content of associated use policies and training. A summary of the market survey on body-worn camera technologies is also included in the Primer. The introduction to these two reports also advises consulting the Bureau of Justice Assistance's "Body-Worn Camera Toolkit."