PSNI disciplines 74 officers over body cam footage access

The PSNI has taken action against 74 of its officers who inappropriately accessed body-worn camera footage.

It follows an investigation by Northern Ireland's Office of the Police Ombudsman (PONI).

It found that video of an officer carrying out an arrest operation had been accessed numerous times by colleagues.

The footage featured an arrest of a member of the public for possession of illegal drugs.

The arresting officer had made an error while administering a criminal caution, causing a colleague to laugh out loud.

Police Ombudsman investigators found that between December 2019 and November 2022 footage of the incident had been looked up 248 times by 82 police officers and one civilian staff member from 20 different police stations.

Most had accessed it once or twice, but many did so more often, including one officer who watched it 21 times.

The investigation found that only five officers and one civilian staff member had a proper reason for watching the video.

The PSNI said it expected all its officers to behave ethically and professionally and to follow the rules on body-worn camera footage.

The ombudsman's office said there remained a "significant risk" that officers might access the video database without legitimate reason.

Chief Executive of Police Ombudsman's Office Hugh Hume said many of those spoken to had no idea there was a problem with what they had done.

"The responses received from officers, when asked to provide their reasons for accessing the video, suggested an apparent lack of awareness that doing so might constitute a criminal or misconduct offence."

He welcomed the PSNI's decision to take "management action" - designed to improve an officer's conduct - against those involved as a reasonable and proportionate response.

Mr Hume also welcomed the fact that the PSNI had accepted three recommendations to prevent misuse of body-worn camera footage.

However, he said he was disappointed that a fourth recommendation for random sampling of the database to establish the level of unauthorised access, had not been accepted.

"Given the weaknesses in the control of access to body worn video, it is therefore our view that there remains a significant residual risk that private and personal data can be accessed without a legitimate policing purpose."

The PSNI's Deputy Chief Constable, Chris Todd, said where it was perceived that officers' conduct fell short, it was right that they be investigated.

He said the PSNI had a range of measures in place to ensure officers were aware of their responsibilities in this area.

This included the data protection implications of viewing body worn footage.

Mr Todd said anyone requesting access to footage must provide a "reason for access" outlining the lawful rationale for reviewing it.

He said there was also regular random sampling by management of such requests and he was happy it achieved the same end result as that sought by the Ombudsman.

The PSNI has signed a ten year contract to 2026 with a provider of body worn cameras.

There are almost 3,000 of them for use by appropriately trained officers.

The issue was discovered as part of a separate investigation.