Petition · Home Office

Prevent police withholding bodycam footage under FOIA

Closed 63 signatures

What the petition asks

Amend the Freedom of Information Act to prevent the police withholding bodycam footage from closed cases. We think this would improve transparency, accountability, and public trust in policing, provided GDPR and legal protections are respected.
We ask for police bodycam footage from closed cases to be subject to FOI requests, while maintaining compliance with GDPR. Bodycams and video storage are publicly funded so we think they should be subject to public scrutiny. In the US, similar footage is sometimes released, and can promote trust. If cases are closed and GDPR is complied with, we think there is no valid reason to withhold footage. It could help ensure transparency, accountability, and responsible use of public resources.

Timeline

8 May 2025 Petition opened for signatures
8 Nov 2025 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 63
Status Closed
Department Home Office
Opened 8 May 2025
Closed 8 Nov 2025

Follow this petition

Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.

Source: the official petition page. Last checked 17 Aug 2026.