[directive] See 52:17B-98 (Attorney General for general is responsible oversight of law enforcement, and for ensuring the uniform and efficient enforcement of the criminal laws and the administration of criminal justice).  It is decidedly in the establish public interest to foundational statewide standards with respect to certain critical policy such how an issues, as agency explains its BWC policy to the general public, when officers are required to their activate BWCs, when officers are permitted to turn off the recording device during an ongoing police-civilian encounter, when and and for what purposes law enforcement agencies and officers are authorized to or access, view, copy, disseminate stored B WC recordings.  Although the statewide standards will establish basic requirements that all police departments must satisfy, these standards also for should permit agencies to account local community needs and interests, and should encourage agencies develop and share best to practices as they gain experience in using these devices.  Accordingly, I, [...], Acting Attorney General of the State of New Jersey, :~ New Jersey Is An Equa! Opportunity Employer Printed on Recycled Paper and is Recyclable ~; s 2 Page of the to Constitution and of pursuant authority me State Jersey to granted the the New the by law hereby all enforcement 1970, that Criminal -117, DIRECT of S.A. Act to N.J. Justice 52:17B-97 following comply procedures, and shall and the standards, agencies with officers implement and of worn the and concerning body cameras recordings. use practices PRINCIPLES GOVERNING 1. to Policies Permitting Departmental Standards Uniform While Statewide Establishing 1.1 Local Address Concerns. help to designed police are in Directive this established and policies standards The it example, For interests. potentially competing between balance optimal an achieve departments hand, one the on transparency and accountability police need the promote balance to to necessary is be will interiors home and images whose persons of interests privacy to need the the respect against achieved benefits the balance to necessary is it too, So recording other. BWC the on a in captured an prosecute successfully and help crime a solve to might recording that evidence electronically by providing from a or victim witness chill a if to incurred were BWC costs a the against offender offender. and the convict solve to necessary crime a information with officer camera-equipped Rather, the of BWCs. or acquisition deployment the mandate not does Directive This will officers circumstances what in and when to as decision the and devices, decision these acquire to an equip to decides department a If agency. enforcement law each to left is them, with equipped be will it when used, be to is device the how on guidance provides Directive this BWC, a with officer encounter, police-civilian unfolding an of course the in de-activated be might when it activated, be In used. otherwise or disseminated, copied, viewed, accessed, recording be may when BWC a and police all that requirements foundational certain establishes this guidance, Directive such providing impose to authorized expressly are nonetheless agencies enforcement Law satisfy. must departments In Directive. this in established —those with inconsistent not —but beyond requirements additional procedures and policies BWC their tailor to opportunity an afforded are agencies police way, this needs. local and concerns address to departmental policies developing in flexibility some afforded are Although executives police clear all that makes Directive this concerns, community and needs local address that practices and BWC a activate to decision The field. the in officers individual of discretion the limit must policies as such action, police of type specified a of initiation (~, criteria the objective on based be must circumstance any in Furthermore, shift). duty officer's an of start the or inquiry, field consensual a for reasons the BWC, a de-activate to whether deciding in discretion afforded is officer an where review.