Police Accountability Crisis: Suffolk Officers Skirt Body Camera Rules

A recent oversight report has revealed a significant increase in non-compliance with body camera protocols among Suffolk police officers, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. According to the 2025-2026 Annual Civilian Police Oversight Report, released in late July by the county's Human Rights Commission (HRC), officers failed to adhere to body camera policy in 179 of 336 Internal Affairs Bureau investigations, representing 53% of reviewed cases. This figure marks a sharp rise from the previous 2024-2025 report, which cited 83 infractions out of 268 cases, or 31% non-compliance, indicating a more than doubling of policy violations year-over-year.

The most frequent infractions detailed in the latest report, which covers the period from June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026, mirror those identified in the prior report. These primarily involve officers deactivating the audio function of their body-worn cameras, followed by instances where cameras were completely turned off or not activated at all during incidents under investigation by Internal Affairs.

In response to these findings, Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina issued a statement asserting that the department has heightened its oversight of body camera compliance. Catalina highlighted an expansion of internal reviews regarding body-worn camera usage and the implementation of a technology update requiring officers to physically hold the mute function, thereby eliminating accidental deactivation. He added that issues identified through these reviews have led to additional training and, when appropriate, disciplinary actions for officers.

The Suffolk Human Rights Commission, established in 1963 to address bias complaints and enforce anti-discrimination laws, expanded its role in 2021 to include civilian oversight of Internal Affairs Bureau investigations. This expansion was mandated by former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Despite the rise in infractions, the HRC largely concurred with the conclusions of Internal Affairs, agreeing in 92% of the 228 cases reviewed for the latest report, a slight increase from 87% in the 261 cases reviewed for the 2024-2025 report.

Lou Civello, president of the Suffolk Police Benevolent Association, emphasized this high agreement rate as evidence of officers' professional conduct. Civello stated that "exonerated findings were the most common outcome," implying officers' actions were "legal, proper, and necessary," and highlighted that compliments for officers were up, with body cameras continuing to provide "real transparency." He contended that the report "lacks nuance and context," pointing out that turning off a body camera is sometimes appropriate or even mandatory, and that technical issues or extenuating circumstances can prevent their use. Civello also contextualized the 179 alleged improper uses against "tens of thousands of police interactions" last year.

However, civil rights attorney Frederick K. Brewington, a member of Long Island Advocates for Police Accountability (LIAFPA), strongly disagreed with the notion that the increase in infractions could be attributed to officers still learning the technology or glitches. Brewington argued that such issues would have been rectified by now, especially given the program's rollout in 2022. He characterized the doubling of incidents as "unacceptable" and "unfair," expressing deep concern over the failure to preserve crucial information. Brewington suggested that the uptick stems from a lack of transparency and accountability, which has fostered "a culture that allows this type of abuse."

LIAFPA has actively sought information regarding body camera infractions, including disciplinary actions or training, by filing Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests in both the current year and 2025. According to Brewington, Suffolk police have yet to produce the requested documents, leading to claims that his organization has been "stonewalled." The body camera program itself was initiated in Suffolk in 2022, with officers receiving financial incentives, including $1,000 for the first three years and $3,000 annually thereafter, for their agreement to wear the devices and participate in other reforms. Police officials, officers, and union leaders have generally supported body cameras, citing their benefits in promoting accountability, capturing crime scene evidence, and vindicating officers falsely accused of misconduct.

Despite the challenges, the latest report did highlight one "positive development": Internal Affairs investigators independently identified body camera violations in 18 investigations. This proactive identification by Internal Affairs is seen as a demonstration of a commitment to enforcing departmental policy regarding body camera use.