The Citizens Review Board received a briefing on body‑worn camera protocols and evidence access following a Nov. 6 meeting with the Syracuse Police Department (SPD). Mike, speaking for the police relations committee, said leadership changes are expected at SPD—Chief Cecil and a first deputy chief are leaving at year end—and emphasized that staffing and appointment decisions rest with the mayor’s office.

Mike summarized recent case review work and told the board that body‑worn camera footage has been central to most determinations. He said one case advanced to a hearing in part because the body camera had been turned off during the incident.

SPD staff described how the cameras operate in practice: devices enter a low‑power or "sleep" state and can preserve roughly 30 seconds of pre‑activation video when an officer taps to activate the unit. Officers are instructed to activate cameras in the patrol car upon dispatch so footage will capture events as they unfold. SPD representatives said the department recently revised guidance on circumstances when an officer may stop recording.

Technical limits were discussed: battery life was cited as a constraint on continuous recording, and there can be a 30‑second audio/video buffer that affects live playback; however, the recorded file contains the preceding 30 seconds when retrieved. SPD also described a redaction workflow that obscures faces and license plates not relevant to an investigation before releasing footage under the records process.

Board members discussed future capability demonstrations SPD referenced, including prospective language‑translation features on camera systems. A public commenter later urged the CRB to confirm that any translation or interpretation is provided by qualified interpreters and to consult city and county Title VI and ADA resources for compliance.

Separately, the board confirmed it has Evidence.com access and can log into the SPD system to download and review footage directly, which board members said should reduce delays in evidence retrieval.