NYC DOC pulls all bodycams after one randomly ignites, injures captain on Rikers Island

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — The New York City Department of Correction temporarily pulled all body-worn cameras offline on Saturday afternoon in response to an incident in which a correction captain’s camera randomly ignited, causing her injury.

An unnamed captain was on correction duty in the George R. Vierno Center (GRVC), a facility on Rikers Island, on Friday when her Reveal Media D5 camera ignited without warning, DOC Press Secretary Annais Morales said.

The captain suffered burns and smoke inhalation during the incident and was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment.

“The department is in contact with the manufacturer to investigate how and why this incident occurred,” Morales said. “Out of an abundance of caution, the department is pulling all BWCs offline until the investigation is complete.”
Bodycams have been used by the DOC since 2015, and all uniformed staff are assigned a camera.

“That’s all this is for—the safety of our officers and all staff is paramount,” Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association spokesman Michael Skelly told the New York Daily News.

The DOC has more than 12,400 Genetec security cameras, which run 24/7, throughout all department facilities. To supplement surveillance during the one-to-two-week investigation, officers will be able to use handheld cameras as needed

The Federal Monitor is aware of the decision to remove all bodycams.

“Our thoughts are with our Captain who was injured in this incident,” DOC Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie said. “The safety of our staff is paramount, which is why I am removing all body-worn cameras from service out of an abundance of caution while we investigate how and why this incident occurred.”