Rhode Island Government Register Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Office of the Attorney General

Title of Rule: Policy for Use and Operation of Body-Worn Cameras

Rule Identifier: 110-RICR-10-00-1

Rulemaking Action: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Important Dates:

Date of Public Notice: August 30, 2021

End of Public Comment: September 24, 2021

Authority for this Rulemaking: R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-160 et seq.

Summary of Rulemaking Action:

Chapter 160 of Title 42 of the Rhode Island General Laws, enacted on July 8, 2021, establishes a statewide body-worn camera program. Pursuant to this program, the Director of the Department of Public Safety may award grants to Rhode Island police departments to facilitate the adoption of body-worn cameras, with the award of any such grants conditioned on the police department’s adoption of the statewide policy for the use and operation of body-worn cameras.

Section 42-160-4(b) of the General Laws tasks the Attorney General and the Director of the Department of Public Safety, in consultation with the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association, with promulgating rules and regulations to create the policy for the use and operation of body-worn cameras. Accordingly, the Department of Public Safety and the Office of the Attorney General are issuing this Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to gather relevant information and input from the public, in advance of the promulgation of a proposed rule establishing the policy.

Additional Information and Comments:

All interested parties are invited to submit written comments concerning this rulemaking until September 24, 2021, by email or mail to the appropriate parties at the addresses listed below:

Office of the Attorney General

150 South Main Street

Providence, RI 02903

bwcstatewidepolicy@riag.ri.gov