NSW Police signals body-worn cameras change after Four Corners investigation

New South Wales Police will mandate the use of body-worn video cameras for all its officers, a significant policy shift prompted by a confronting Four Corners investigation. The investigative report exposed allegations of a culture of impunity within the force, highlighting disturbing cases of police brutality since 2020 amid a sharp increase in complaints and civil lawsuits over the last decade.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter acknowledged the gravity of the findings, stating, "Last night's episode of Four Corners, which myself and many others obviously watched, was very confronting. It showed over, I suppose, a five-year period, a highlight reel of us being at our worst. So, you know, we are not certainly proud of some of those instances."

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Last night's episode of Four Corners, which myself and many others obviously watched, was very confronting. It showed over, I suppose, a five-year period, a highlight reel of us being at our worst. So, you know, we are not certainly proud of some of those instances.

The mandatory use policy means officers will be obliged to turn on their cameras and begin recording whenever they use force or exercise any police power, from street stops to the use of violence. This marks a departure from the previous system, where the use of body-worn cameras was discretionary, leading to instances where officers allegedly failed to record interactions or only activated cameras after arrests.

The change is expected to be welcomed by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, which has advocated for mandatory recording since 2023, and aligns NSW with most other Australian states. However, some critics, like NSW Greens justice spokesperson Sue Higginson, argue that the requirement should be enshrined in law, not just police operating manuals, to fully address the scale of police violence and excessive force.

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New South Wales has a police problem and we must do everything we can to address the scale and impunity of police violence and the use of excessive force.