Body Worn Video (BWV) is an on-body video camera that attaches to the wearer’s clothing, usually at chest level. The technology is mainly made for and used by police.
The device captures video, photos, and audio which is uploaded to a database as “evidence.” It’s also used to record people and take their pictures, as well as record interrogations.
Cops used to have to activate BWV themselves, but as body cameras were not always activated by police or activated late, BWV technology designers have added features such as remote or automatic activation of a camera. With more recent models, the cameras can passively pick up information, which can be saved by departments. The camera currently used by LAPD picks up 18 hours of video at a time.
[Image description: The “Axon Body 3” body-worn camera, seen in a close-up image of a police officer’s chest. Close to the center of the cop’s vest is a small black rectangular device about the size of an iPhone. There is a camera hole near the top of the device. Image source: officer.com](https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/fb33c2a7-83b4-49fa-9c8f-75211fdd5e64/bd9119ec-2c81-4df0-bfdc-4a8782cb08a1/BWV._Axon_Body_3.avif)
Image description: The “Axon Body 3” body-worn camera, seen in a close-up image of a police officer’s chest. Close to the center of the cop’s vest is a small black rectangular device about the size of an iPhone. There is a camera hole near the top of the device. Image source: officer.com
