There are two usual routes. Anyone can make a public records request to the police department that recorded it, naming the date, time, place and officers if known; and in a criminal case, your attorney can request it from the prosecution in discovery. Ask early, because agencies keep footage for a limited time. Rules on what is released, redacted or withheld while a case is open vary by state.
$0.25 an hour · first hour free
Most departments take requests through an online portal, by email or by mail; Minneapolis, for example, has a body camera data request form. Say clearly that it is a request under your state's public records law. Agencies can withhold footage of open investigations, redact or blur other people, and charge for that work, depending on the state.
If you are charged, body cam footage is normally part of what the prosecution has to share with the defense. Your attorney can ask for it, and may also send a records request directly to the agency so it is preserved. Talk to your attorney first, since a request can have strategic consequences.
Once you have the file, Subtitled turns it into a timestamped transcript with each voice named, as a searchable Court PDF on Letter paper with 25 numbered lines a page, a caption page, timestamps and a transcriber's declaration to sign, or an editable Word file ($5.00 per hour of recording, on top of the $0.25 transcript). The video never leaves your computer.
Sources: City of Minneapolis, body camera data request.
Last reviewed 27 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Usually, through a public records request to the agency, or through your attorney in discovery. What is released, and when, depends on your state's law and whether the case is still open.
It depends on the agency and the state, and footage of routine contacts may be kept only a short time. Request it as soon as you can.
The date, time and location, the officers or unit if known, any report or case number, and a statement that you are requesting it under your state's public records law.