Pretrial
Body-Worn
Grade: 
Overview
At a time when trust is frayed between communities and law enforcement, body-worn cameras are a powerful tool that provide accountability and help build trust in the law enforcement process. While adoption of body cameras has grown significantly in recent years, most decisions regarding their use are made at the departmental level, creating a mishmash of policies that don’t always serve the public’s best interest. While policing is and should rightly be a local function, the state has a responsibility to ensure justice by setting standards for the use of body cameras.
Recording Policy
Does the state establish a standard recording policy for departments that have body-worn cameras?
30 points
Data Policy
Does the state establish data retention and data release policies for departments that use body-worn cameras?
30 points
Body-Worn Camera Requirement
Does the state require law enforcement agencies to use body-worn cameras?
20 points
Funding
Does the state provide funding to equip law enforcement agencies with body-worn cameras?
20 points
State Overview
Mississippi has no state policy regarding the use of body-worn cameras, including no requirement that departments use cameras, no policies around the use of cameras or the use of data captured using body-worn cameras.
The state appropriates no funding to equip law enforcement agencies with body-worn cameras. In their examination of local policies, the ACLU of Mississippi found varying policies between jurisdictions, resulting in disparities throughout the state that serve to undermine transparency and trust in law enforcement.
Details
Recording Policy
Mississippi state law sets no standards for recording policies for local law enforcement agencies.
0/30 points
Data Policy
State law does not speak to data retention or access policies for body-worn camera footage.
0/30 points
Body-Worn Camera Requirement
State law does not require law enforcement agencies to use body-worn cameras.
0/20 points
Funding
The state does not appropriate funding specifically for body-worn camera for local law enforcement agencies.
0/20 points
Sources