Senate Bill S5815

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5815

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring certain
departmental security staff who interact with the incarcerated popu-
lation to wear a body camera

 
PURPOSE:

To require all departmental security staff in correctional facilities to
wear body cameras during their shifts to ensure accountability.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill creates a new section 135 of the correction law
providing the usage of body cameras by all security staff in state
correctional facilities.

Section 2 sets forth the effective date.

              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State has implemented the use of body cameras for other law
enforcement officers in order to ensure accountability. When it comes to
correctional facilities, there is no opportunity for cell phone footage
or to have other witnesses outside of staff and the incarcerated indi-
viduals. It would be beneficial to both the departmental security staff
and the incarcerated population for body cameras to be used. The use of
body cameras can help filter allegations from incarcerated individuals
and provides reliable evidence in legitimate cases. Additionally, the
use of the body cameras can result in the de-escalation of potentially
violent situations, the camera would dissuade an incarcerated individual
from assaulting departmental security staff due to the threat of prose-
cution based on the video evidence. Requiring all departmental security
staff to wear body cameras will keep our facilities safe.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S.5238 of 2023-2024: Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction;

S. 6941 of 2021-22: New Bill, Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and
Correction

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

N/A

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.