An order issued by NYPD administrators earlier this month instructed cops to stop using personal cell phones when on duty. The order told officers “that any video or audio created by any device, including a personal device becomes a record for legal purposes and is therefore subject to applicable evidentiary laws.”
The notice was sent out one day after a memo was circulated reminding officers that it is lawful for them to be filmed while on duty.
An NYPD spokeswoman told the Daily News that the rule has been around for quite some time. “We frequently issue internal memos to members of the service reminding them of the department’s policy and procedures,” she said.
After recent instances of recorded police brutality such as the chokehold that caused the tragic death of Eric Garner, there has been talk of requiring NYPD officers to wear cameras on their uniforms, a step which has already been taken some places in the country. (Photo: Mo Riza)
