St. Paul police revealed a draft policy Thursday that will govern the department's use of body cameras, which is slated to begin next month.
About 45 cameras will roll out Nov. 9 in the Western District for a 60-day pilot program. Two different camera systems will be tested for 30 days each.
"This policy can change based on what we see and hear," said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a police spokesman.
Work on the policy began in March 2015, and was crafted after more than 30 meetings with the public and with the help of more than 1,400 surveys submitted to police.
The "Body Worn Camera" (BWC) program will include officers from the patrol, K-9, traffic and SWAT units.
"Compliance with this policy is mandatory, but it is recognized that officers must also attend to other primary duties and the safety of all concerned, sometimes in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving," said the policy.
A summary of the policy's key elements includes:
• Officers must test the technology before each shift and abstain from wearing defective cameras.