Efforts to push for proper body camera rules across police agencies in Tennessee are now being led by a Democrat from Knoxville. This came after it became public that members of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team were not wearing body cameras when they fatally shot an 18-year-old.
Although many deputies already wear body cameras, the SWAT officers in Knox County have never been required to wear them. Also, the sheriff’s current guidelines do not clearly state who among the officers must use them.
To address this issue, State Representative Sam McKenzie, who serves downtown Knoxville as well as the eastern and southern parts of the city, joined forces with Community Defense of East Tennessee to draft a new bill that was submitted on February 3.
McKenzie mentioned that he first began pushing for clear rules on body camera usage after Knox County deputies violently arrested Nahshon Bain-Greenidge at his job back in 2023.
But his call for regulation became more urgent after the recent shooting of Daevon Montez Saint-Germain and the earlier death of David Batts. Batts died from meningitis after being tased and assaulted by detention officers at the Knox County jail.
“These recent cases happened right here, affecting people in our area,” McKenzie stated. “We need proof. And video gives us that. It doesn’t lie.”
Call for Clear and Statewide Rules
Imani Mfalme-Shu’la, who leads Community Defense of East Tennessee, said policies about body camera use should not cause disagreement. According to her, any officer who acts fairly should not fear clear rules, regardless of public opinion on policing.
She also added that Tennessee already has body cameras and oversight committees, but people are still getting hurt. What they now want is a single set of clear body camera rules to be followed by all agencies across the state.
Back in 2015, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office was among the first departments in Tennessee to bring in body cameras. This move came before the Knoxville Police Department started using them five years later. At that time, people believed body cameras would help settle debates about incidents involving deadly force.
Unlike the sheriff’s office, the current rules at the Knoxville Police Department clearly say that SWAT officers must wear body cameras.
What the Proposed Body Camera Law Would Require
Under McKenzie’s proposed legislation, any law enforcement agency using body cameras would need to create a written policy. That document must explain exactly when officers are to turn the cameras on and off, how they must tell others that recording is happening, and which areas must not be recorded.
The bill also makes it clear that body cameras must not be used to collect information about anyone based on their religion, political group, or free speech activities.
“This is a strong beginning that can help bring order,” McKenzie explained.
The proposed law would also tell police departments to keep video footage for at least three years in certain cases, including:
- If the video shows the use of force
- If it captures anything related to a felony arrest
- If someone sees in the footage files a complaint within six months
- If a police officer, someone recorded in the video, or a family member of a deceased person requests the footage be preserved
Those who appear in the footage, including officers and family members of people who have died, would have the chance to watch the video and ask for it to be saved.
If none of those reasons apply, then McKenzie’s bill says the video must be kept for at least six months before it is deleted.
