U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) is expanding its camera review, including the possibility of integrating new body-worn camera testing into law enforcement operations such as checkpoints, vessel boarding and interdictions, training academies, and outbound operations at ports of entry, as well as mobile camera options in vehicles.
While CBP already makes extensive use of cameras in the border environment, the planned next phase of the effort will expand the overall use of cameras to include mobile, fixed, maritime and body cameras. Before implementing a body-worn camera program, CBP will have to address many policy and privacy questions related to deployment, video data storage, and training and resolve other issues such as funding.
CBP employs about 60,000 people, including 21,000 agents on the southern border and 24,000 officers at ports of entry. The Agency already uses fixed and mobile cameras: 7,500 on southern and northern border ports of entry and 1,200 in between. Body cameras would allow a closer view of staff, particularly in the field where use-of-force incidents so often occur.
