Do you believe you or someone in your family was treated unfairly by a police officer and the interaction may have been recorded on a body worn or dashboard camera? Were you in an accident and wish to review camera footage? You may be entitled to review the video.
State law also provides a process to obtain a copy of the video. In order to obtain a copy of the video, you must first file a Petition For Release seeking a court order. A copy of the Petition For Release can be found at http://www.nccourts.org/Forms/Documents/1800.pdf. Once the Petition For Release has been filed a copy of the Petition should be served by certified mail on the Police Attorney's office.
CMPD Police Attorney's Office
601 East Trade Street
Charlotte, N.C. 28202
North Carolina General Statute Section 132-1.4A.(PDF, 170KB) Law Enforcement Agency Recordings reads;
Recordings in the custody of a law enforcement agency shall be disclosed upon written request that states the date and approximate time of the activity captured in the recording or otherwise identifies the activity with reasonable particularity sufficient to identify the recording to which the request refers. Law enforcement recordings shall be disclosed to certain persons as listed below. If you believe you meet the criteria below you may be entitled under the law to watch a recording.
- A person whose image or voice is in the recording.
- A spouse if the spouse whose image or voice is in the recording consents to the disclosure. Notarization of the request form is required by the consenting spouse.
- An attorney retained to represent a person whose image or voice is in the recording. Notarization of the request form by the client is required.
- A parent of a minor whose image or voice is in the recording.
- A guardian of a minor or adult whose image or voice is in the recording. Guardianship documentation is required.
- A personal representative of a deceased person whose image or voice is in the recording. Executorship, Power of Attorney, or other legal documentation required.
- A personal representative of an adult person who is incapacitated and unable to provide consent to disclosure. Power of Attorney or other legal documentation required.
NOTE: A personal representative is defined as a parent, court-appointed guardian, spouse, or attorney of a person whose image or voice is in the recording. If a person whose image or voice is in the recording is deceased , the term also means the personal representative of the estate of the deceased person; the deceased person's surviving spouse, parent, or adult child; the deceased person's attorney; or the parent or guardian of a surviving minor child of the deceased.
NOTE: Disclosed is defined as making a recording available for viewing or listening to by the person requesting disclosure, at a time and location chosen by the custodial law enforcement agency. This definition does not include providing a copy of the recording. Section 132-1.4A. prohibits the requesting person from recording the recording.
If you meet the criteria above you may download the Video Disclosure Request form using the link below. Once you have completed the form in its entirety you may drop it an all required verification documents necessary at any CMPD division office or the Law Enforcement Center. You may also email the form and documentation to VideoDisclosure@cmpd.org or you may mail the form and documentation by USPS to
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Attn: Video Disclosure
601 East Trade Street Charlotte, NC 28202
If you have any questions regarding the form, the process or your qualifications to watch a video please email those questions to VideoDisclosure@cmpd.org.
Download the Video Disclosure Request Form(PDF, 83KB)
View the NC General Statute - Chapter 132 §1.4A(PDF, 170KB)