The Legal Aid Society, in a recently issued letter, called on the Office of the Inspector General for the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to investigate serious violations of the Department’s body-worn camera policies.

Key findings outlined in the letter include unlawful withholding of evidence, lack of transparency and oversight, unauthorized livestreaming, and failure to promptly activate cameras.

“The NYPD has violated its body-worn camera policies in ways that severely undermine transparency, accountability, and the criminal legal system,” said Laura Moraff, an attorney with Legal Aid’s Digital Forensics Unit.

“By withholding video evidence from defendants, concealing footage from NYPD’s lawyers, and granting potentially unauthorized individuals—including the Mayor—access to live feeds, the NYPD has not only broken the public’s trust but has also violated the law,” she continued. “We demand a full investigation into these violations and immediate corrective action.”