#Bodycam video redaction options for law enforcement
There are dedicated video redaction solutions built into VMS for police and other agencies, such as Axon Redaction and Motorola Redactive. If you’re already using those platforms, choosing solutions integrated into them makes perfect sense.
In cases when body worn cameras are added on top of a VMS that doesn’t have a built-in video redaction tool, you may need to research solutions that would either work within your VMS as a plug-in or work as a standalone solution.
For example, Identity Cloak plug-ins for Milestone can handle body worn camera videos as well as footage from all other Milestone camera types (PTZ, 360°, and fixed dome cameras) — and import footage from other video sources, making them an easy choice for organisations using Milestone XProtect.
Agencies researching standalone solutions for police body cameras footage redaction will need to consider additional factors beyond VMS compatibility. We cover those below.
#Choosing a video redaction solution for police body cameras: 4 factors to consider
For a standalone solute, you’ll want to make sure that it can meet the following requirement:
The ability to handle footage accurately, even for crowded scenes, low light, fast movement
A defensible, auditable process with original footage preserved, redacted exports that are irreversible, and a clear chain of custody
Redaction options beyond face blurring, including masking licence plates, audio, signage, screens, and more
Deployment that doesn't disrupt operations and keeps data secure
#[1] The ability to handle bodycam footage accurately
Bodycam footage is often challenging to process. It may include videos of crowded public spaces, dimly lit stairwells, fast-moving vehicles, and incidents where multiple people are moving simultaneously.
To handle this reliably, you need AI autotracking that can detect and follow subjects of interest across motion blur, partial occlusion, and low-resolution frames.
You also need the ability to make manual adjustments and customise blur types depending on the environment captured in the footage.
#[2] A defensible workflow
A redaction workflow that modifies the source file, or that can't demonstrate what was changed and by whom, creates a chain-of-custody risk.
A bodycam video redaction solution should keep the original file completely intact, produce an irreversible redacted export, and generate an audit trail.
#[3] Redaction options beyond blurring faces
Bodycam footage regularly captures licence plates, screens showing personal data, PII from documents held in frame, and audio containing names, phone numbers, and sensitive disclosures.
A bodycam video redaction solution should be able to handle redaction for all of those types of data.
#[4] Workflow that doesn’t disrupt operations
The video redaction solution you choose should be able to automate most of the work and be easy to use. It is also worthwhile to consider keeping redaction in-house, so that you control the timeline, the access, and the audit trail.
Identity Cloak, our AI-powered video redaction solution, was designed to handle each of the 4 requirements listed above. Keep reading to find out what makes it a good fit for teams that need to redact a growing number of bodyworn videos.
#Identity Cloak for redacting bodycam video footage
Identity Cloak can handle fast movement, crowded scenes, low-quality files, and footage recorded from body-level angles. It allows teams to redact PII, adjust blur, and redact audio in a single session.
#How Identity Cloak automates video redaction
Identity Cloak’s AI detects and tracks faces, bodies, and licence plates across the full length of a video clip. It can track vehicles and people even in low-quality footage, crowded surroundings, and situations in partial occlusion.
An example of complex footage is a night-time stop recorded on a body-worn camera with the subject moving quickly, partially exiting the frame, and re-entering it.
That means the tracking needs to handle:
Low image quality
Identity Cloak's AI processes footage even from lower-resolution cameras, without requiring a minimum quality thresholdFast movement
Autotracking adjusts the blur position as the subject moves, rather than losing the trackPartial occlusion
When a subject briefly exits frame or is obscured, it picks up trackingCrowded backgrounds
Full-screen blur mode is available for sensitive scenes or environmentsManual correction
Blur type and position can be adjusted manually. Officers can also redact documents, screens, and posters manually.
Identity Cloak also supports layered blurring for static objects — so signage or screens in the background can be permanently blurred while a person of interest walking through that zone remains visible.
This matters for reducing the amount of time spent per clip and clearing backlogs that have built up under manual workflows.
#Defensible redaction process with an audit trail
Identity Cloak is built to keep the original footage intact, create an irreversible separate export, and provide an audit trail. The original file is left completely unchanged throughout the process — Identity Cloak works from the source file and produces a separate redacted export.
This export is irreversible: the blurred elements cannot be recovered or reversed by anyone who receives the file.
And because the software is installed on your own device within your secure network, no video data is transferred to external servers at any point.
#Full privacy coverage in a single workflow
Identity Cloak gives operators access to multiple redaction modes:
Face and body blur with AI autotracking
Licence plate redaction with automatic detection and tracking
Audio redaction to silence sections of the audio track with sensitive information
Video trim to remove segments of footage that are not relevant to the disclosure request
Custom blur shapes for manual redaction of documents, screens, signage, or any other object in frame
Layered blurring for static objects — a permanent blur zone that keeps background signage obscured, even when someone moves in front of it
For example, in a clip where the officer's bodycam captured a domestic incident, Identity Cloak can redact faces, a vehicle licence plate in the driveway, and a section of audio with captured personal information.
#Deployment that doesn’t disrupt operations
Identity Cloak desktop application can process any video format that can be played in VLC — including proprietary bodycam player formats converted via the built-in screen recorder. There is no requirement to replace existing cameras or change how footage is captured.
The software is installed on your own device, within your secure network. Identity Cloak operates behind your firewall.
No video data, personal data, or footage is transferred to Facit's servers at any point — only a licence key handshake and anonymised usage data.
#See Identity Cloak in action
For more information on how Identity Cloak works, and examples of how police teams can use it to reduce redaction time and meet disclosure deadlines, visit our video redaction software page — or start a free 7-day trial and process your first video in under 15 minutes.
See Identity Cloak in action
For more information on how Identity Cloak works, and examples of how police teams can use it to reduce redaction time and meet disclosure deadlines, visit our video redaction software page — or click the buttons below to start ea 7 day free trail and process your first video in under 15 minutes.
