What states currently require officers to use body cams?

As of May 2021, only seven states mandate the statewide use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement officers. Those states are Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Carolina. For more information on changes in bodycam legislation, visit the Body-Worn Camera Laws database, which is maintained by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Where can I find more information on pending legislation regarding documentation of police use of force incidents?

For more information on Senate Bill 3912, which would establish new requirements for law enforcement officers and agencies to report data on use-of-force incidents, visit congress.gov.

What is threat level?

Fatal incidents occur when an individual meets death during an encounter with law enforcement officials. The majority of encounters occur as a result of police homicide, as when officers shoot a person who is presenting a lethal threat to them or others. However, there are other types of Encounters that do not involve acts of police homicide, but in which police are otherwise involved, or are present. Examples include a vehicle crash during a police chase or a suicide in a barricade situation.

The Threat Assessment project gathers additional data that serve to “Assess the Threat”--to determine what specifically occurred that led to the Subject’s death. Threat Assessment data are not now in the public database. After sufficient data have been gathered to achieve a critical mass, they will be added to it.

Armed/Unarmed, Alleged weapon, physical movement, fleeing/not fleeing.