NSW Police Move Toward Mandatory Bodycam Activation After Four Corners Investigation

NSW Police have flagged a move towards mandatory use of body-worn cameras whenever officers exercise police powers, following a Four Corners investigation that highlighted concerns about accountability, use-of-force incidents and inconsistent recording practices.

According to reporting from the ABC, under the proposed changes, officers would be required to activate body-worn video immediately when using any police power or applying force. The reform would replace the current discretionary approach, where activation is guided by policy but ultimately left to individual officer judgment.

NSW Police said the review of standard operating procedures was underway and the proposal was central to it.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter, who oversees internal investigations, said the changes were prompted in part by what he described as “a highlight reel of us being at our worst” shown in the Four Corners program. He said the most significant anticipated change was that cameras would be switched on whenever force or police powers are used, although he noted the proposal had not yet been formally signed off by the Commissioner.

The Four Corners program examined multiple incidents involving NSW Police since 2020, including cases involving people experiencing mental health crises and allegations of excessive force. It also highlighted concerns that cameras were not always activated during critical interactions, with footage sometimes only beginning after arrests or key incidents had occurred.

In one case featured in the investigation, officers were later jailed for assaulting a woman during an incident in 2023, with body-worn camera footage forming part of the evidence in court. The program also reported on a separate case in which a man suffered serious injuries during an arrest, with subsequent legal and disciplinary outcomes remaining the subject of oversight and internal review.

The NSW Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) has previously recommended that officers “must” activate body-worn cameras in situations where they are likely to use their powers, rather than the current “should” guideline.

The proposed NSW changes would align the state with most other Australian jurisdictions, with Western Australia remaining the main jurisdiction still using a discretionary approach to activation in some circumstances.

The proposal remains under review and is yet to be formally approved.