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After a police officer has hurt you, you understandably want to know exactly what happened. Many Illinois police officers have body-worn cameras (also known as bodycams) that record what is happening in real-time. Law enforcement officers must use bodycams according to the written guidelines of the Board of Police Training and Standards.
Request Bodycam Recordings Before It’s Too Late
Illinois state law requires that recordings from police officer bodycams be saved without being changed for at least 90 days. In the following cases, the video recording must be kept for two years if the recording is related to an incident where:
- A complaint has been filed
- The police officer fired a weapon
- The victim was killed
- The victim suffered a significant injury
- Someone was arrested or detained
- An officer is subject to an internal or criminal investigation
While the body camera recordings must be kept for up to two years, there is no need to wait to request the information that could be essential in your case.
How to Get Bodycam Recordings
If you request bodycam footage from the police department, you may wonder if you are getting all of the recordings that you need, or you may be worried that the police department won’t honor your request.
You can make sure that your rights are protected and that you see accurate recordings by filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request or contacting an Illinois police brutality lawyer to get the evidence for you.
Bodycam evidence is often convincing and compelling evidence in police brutality cases. For more information about what you can do to protect your rights after a police officer hurts you, please contact us for a free case evaluation. For the past 50 years, our lawyers have helped more than 70,000 clients recover more than $1 billion in compensation. We would be happy to provide you with a free consultation by phone, video, or in person. Call us or fill out our online contact form to schedule your meeting today.
