Law Enforcement Technology
The Office of Public Trust is responsible for administering the National Park Service body-worn camera program, an important law enforcement technology that supports public safety and transparency. In the interest of meeting these goals, all National Park Service law enforcement officers (US Park Police officers and law enforcement park rangers) wear body-worn cameras in the performance of their duties, subject to the guidelines set forth in Reference Manual 9 Chapter 44 Law Enforcement Recording Devices (542KB PDF) and USPP General Order 80.00 Body-Worn Camera Program (2.66KB PDF). The office also provides technical support for this and other law enforcement technology programs to ensure related devices and systems are working correctly and maintained appropriately.
Information Sharing
The Office of Public Trust is integral in sharing information about our law enforcement programs and activities with communities we serve.
The National Park Service releases body-worn camera footage related to critical incidents, such as uses of deadly force in accordance with Department of the Interior policy. These videos will be released within 30 days of the critical incident are intended to inform the public in a timely manner about National Park Service uses of force.
The Office of Public Trust also processes for all Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests involving NPS law enforcement. All requests must be submitted using the Department of the Interior’s FOIA portal.
The office also assists with processing individuals’ requests for their own information under the Privacy Act of 1974. These are generally individuals needing copies of their motor vehicle collision or property related crime reports.
- Visit the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA Portal) to initiate a FOIA request.
- Learn how to request an accident report from the National Park Service.
Last updated: December 13, 2023