For the first time in Excelsior Springs, police officers will soon be equipped with body-worn cameras after the City Council unanimously approved funding for the program during its Jan. 5 meeting.
In a press release issued the night of the vote, the Excelsior Springs Police Department described the purchase as “a significant investment in modern policing technology” and said it is intended to strengthen “public safety, community trust, and professional excellence.”
Police officials said the department expects to roll out the program “in the coming months,” with officer training and written policies addressing when cameras must be used, how footage will be stored, and how records will be handled under state law.
What the department says body cameras will change
In its announcement, the department pointed to several expected benefits, including improved evidence collection for investigations and prosecutions, lower litigation costs when complaints can be reviewed against video, and an “objective record” of officer-citizen encounters to support accountability and internal reviews.
The department also said body-worn cameras can help de-escalate tense situations by encouraging “more civil interactions” during encounters.
Chief Gregory Dull has also framed the move as a transparency step the department considers a priority. In a recent interview, Dull said he believes body cameras need to be prioritized “for transparency, accountability,” and, in some situations, efficiency.
Do body cameras improve transparency?
National research on body-worn cameras generally supports the idea that cameras can add documentation and help resolve disputes, but it is not clear how or if body-worn cameras impact the behavior of police or citizens.
The National Institute of Justice, which has tracked results from multiple jurisdictions, reports that studies commonly find reductions in citizen complaints in some departments, while results on use of force are mixed and vary by agency and study design.
A review of 30 studies similarly found inconsistent effects across outcomes such as use of force and complaints, and noted that research has not directly answered whether body-worn cameras strengthen accountability systems or police-community relationships on their own.
Research and implementation guidance also emphasizes that outcomes depend heavily on policy details, including when cameras must be activated and what discretion officers have to turn them on and off.
In other words, cameras can provide more video evidence and an additional record of encounters, but the transparency impact the public experiences often hinges on how a department writes its rules, enforces them, and responds to requests for footage.
What Missouri law means for access to footage
In Missouri, body-camera videos can fall under the state’s Sunshine Law framework for investigative records and “mobile video recordings.” Under RSMo 610.100, mobile video recordings are generally treated like investigative reports. They are typically closed while an investigation is active, with a process that allows a court to order release in certain circumstances.
The Missouri Attorney General’s Sunshine Law FAQ also notes that agencies may withhold certain records when there are safety concerns or when disclosure could jeopardize an investigation, depending on the circumstances.
In its press release, the Excelsior Springs Police Department said it plans to adopt “clear policies” addressing public access to recordings “in accordance with state laws.”
Policy in the works
Police officials have not yet released the department’s full body-camera policy package, including activation rules, retention timelines, or how the city will handle requests for video in different types of cases. The department said those details are part of the implementation work that will take place over the coming months. The Excelsior Citizen will follow implementation updates as policies are adopted and the program goes live.
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