Atlanta P.D.

Georgia treats body-worn camera footage as a public record in most cases, subject to narrowly drawn exemptions. The Open Records Act generally presumes openness but allows withholding for privacy and other sensitive interests (e.g., certain privacy protections for recordings in places with a reasonable expectation of privacy when there is no pending investigation, and protections around 9-1-1 audio). Agencies must respond to requests within three business days; if records are not ready, they must describe what exists and provide a timeline for release. Public-records release of BWC footage is controlled by agency open records units, and disclosures require authorization from the agency’s Open Records Unit or Legal Services Division. Retention of BWC footage is governed by state law (baseline 180 days; longer retention in specified situations such as investigations or litigation). Court decisions (e.g., Augusta Press Inc. v. Roundtree) interpret specific exemptions for body-worn camera footage. The Georgia statute also provides a judicial enforcement path if an agency refuses to disclose records. In practice, researchers should file through the public-records portal or the agency’s designated Open Records Officer, and tailor requests to minimize privacy issues while enabling research access. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-50/chapter-18/article-4/section-50-18-71/))