FOIA section 7.5(cc)

FOIA

Law enforcement body-camera recordings

5 ILCS 140/7.5(cc). Law enforcement body-camera recordings

See every document citing this provision →

17 issues across 16 determination letters:2 violation found · 15 no violation.

Counts are per issue, not per letter, and come from automated extraction checked against sampled letters. Determination letters are not binding precedent.

Authorities the Bureau cites most on this issue

Police body-camera recordings of a dispatch incident (PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 48793) cited 8 times
Police body-camera footage of a motor vehicle accident (Pub. Acc. Op. No. 19-001) cited 4 times
Police body-camera footage of a search warrant execution (PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 60599) cited 1 times
Body-camera footage and 911 recordings of a YMCA incident (PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 74512) cited 1 times
Police body-camera recordings of a traffic crash (PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 57517) cited 1 times
Workmann v. Illinois State Board of Education, 229 Ill. App. 3d 459, 463-64 (1992) cited 1 times

How to challenge a denial on this issue

AI-generated summary of the decisions listed on this page, with each point linked to the letters it comes from. Determination letters are not binding precedent and this is not legal advice. Open the letter and check the PDF before relying on any point.

When a challenge is strong

The body camera recording was flagged (e.g., due to an arrest) and the public body withheld it. Flagged recordings are not exempt; the Body Camera Act does not prohibit disclosure of flagged recordings.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a t…
The public body redacted the faces of subjects of the encounter. Section 7.5(cc) does not permit redaction of subjects' faces; only non-subjects not directly involved may be redacted.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a p…

When the public body usually wins

The requester is not the subject of the encounter and the recording is not flagged. Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless the requester is the subject or the recording is flagged.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a p… · n.d. · Body-camera footage of a police o… · n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a r…
+3 more
n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a p… · 2020 · Police body-camera footage of a m… · n.d. · Police body-camera recordings of …
The recording captures a subject with a reasonable expectation of privacy and the subject did not give written consent. Disclosure requires the subject's written permission when there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.Based on: n.d. · Police incident reports, CAD note… · n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a s…
The requester is a parent seeking footage of a minor child who was not arrested. A parent is not a 'subject of the encounter' under the Body Camera Act, and the footage may be exempt under FOIA's privacy exemption.Based on: n.d. · Police reports and body camera fo…
The person in the recording was given a notice to appear but was not arrested or detained. A person given a notice to appear is not considered arrested or detained for purposes of the Body Camera Act's disclosure provisions.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera footage of an …
The public body does not possess the requested records. A public body does not violate FOIA by not disclosing records it does not possess.Based on: 2026 · Police body-camera footage and tr…

Points to put in your letter

If you are the subject of the encounter, state that clearly and note that the Body Camera Act authorizes disclosure to the subject.Based on: 2026 · Police body-camera footage and tr… · n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a p…
If the recording was flagged (e.g., due to an arrest, death, or bodily harm), argue that flagged recordings are not exempt and must be disclosed.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a t…
If the public body redacted the faces of subjects, point out that section 7.5(cc) does not allow redaction of subjects' faces—only non-subjects not directly involved may be redacted.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a p…

Common mistakes

Arguing that the public interest in disclosure overrides the exemption for body camera recordings.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera footage of a r…
Assuming that being a parent automatically makes you a 'subject of the encounter' entitled to the recording.Based on: n.d. · Police reports and body camera fo…
Treating a notice to appear as equivalent to an arrest for purposes of accessing body camera footage.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera footage of an …
Requesting records without first confirming that the public body possesses them.Based on: 2026 · Police body-camera footage and tr…
Assuming that any non-flagged body camera recording is accessible to any requester.Based on: n.d. · Police body-camera recordings of … · 2020 · Police body-camera footage of a m…

Facts to gather first

Whether you are the subject of the encounter.
Whether the recording was flagged (e.g., due to an arrest, death, or bodily harm).
Whether the public body redacted faces of subjects or other individuals.
Whether the public body claims it does not possess the records.

These notes are based on non-binding determination letters; outcomes depend on specific facts and the current law; always verify the full decision PDF.

Drafting brief for an AI assistant

Copy this into your assistant to help draft a request, appeal, or challenge to a denial that turns on this issue. It carries the rules and decisions, not your facts: add those yourself. Machine-readable version: foia-7-5-cc.json.

TOPIC: 5 ILCS 140/7.5(cc) - Law enforcement body-camera recordings
SOURCE: Illinois Attorney General Public Access Bureau decisions compiled at https://illinoisfoia.org/issues/foia-7-5-cc/
NOTE: Determination letters are not binding precedent; they show how the Bureau applies the law. Verify every decision against the source PDF before citing it.

VIOLATION FOUND (2):
- Body camera footage flagged under Body Camera Act
  Rule: Body camera recordings flagged due to an arrest are subject to disclosure under FOIA and the Body Camera Act does not prohibit disclosure.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage of a traffic stop arrest (non-binding determination letter, March 20, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83308/
- Redaction of body camera footage under section 7.5(cc)
  Rule: Section 7.5(cc) does not permit redaction of subjects' faces; only non-subjects not directly involved may be redacted.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage of a public encounter (non-binding determination letter, October 4, 2023) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-75330/

NO VIOLATION (15):
- Withholding body camera transcripts not possessed
  Rule: A public body does not violate FOIA by not disclosing records it does not possess.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage and transcripts of a parking-lot interaction (non-binding determination letter, July 21, 2026) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-91704/
- Withholding body camera recordings under section 7.5(cc)
  Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt unless disclosure is authorized under the Body Camera Act, such as to the subject of the encounter or if flagged.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage and transcripts of a parking-lot interaction (non-binding determination letter, July 21, 2026) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-91704/
- Withholding non-flagged body camera recordings from requester
  Rule: Non-flagged body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA disclosure unless the requester is the subject of the encounter, the officer, or their legal representative.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage of a motor vehicle accident investigation (non-binding determination letter, October 6, 2020) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-65010/
- Redaction of body camera footage of other subject
  Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless flagged or requested by the subject of the encounter; a person given a notice to appear is not arrested or detained.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage of an encounter with others (non-binding determination letter, July 29, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-87818/
- Withholding of body camera footage under Body Camera Act and FOIA
  Rule: A parent is not a 'subject of the encounter' under the Body Camera Act, and footage of a minor interacting with police about a matter where no arrest occurred is exempt under FOIA's privacy exemption.
  Decision: Police reports and body camera footage of an incident involving a minor (non-binding determination letter, July 29, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-85480/
- Withholding of body camera footage of other subject
  Rule: Body camera footage of a subject with a reasonable expectation of privacy may be disclosed only with that subject's written consent.
  Decision: Police incident reports, CAD notes, 911 audio, and body-camera footage of an arrest (non-binding determination letter, April 10, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-85152/
- Withholding non-subject body camera footage
  Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA except as authorized by the Body Camera Act, which allows disclosure only to the subject of the encounter.
  Decision: Body-camera footage of a police officer on a specific date (non-binding determination letter, January 6, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-84528/
- Denial of body-worn camera footage to non-subject requester
  Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless flagged or requested by the subject of the encounter; the requester was not the subject.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage of a private-residence incident (non-binding determination letter, January 15, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-84296/
- Withholding body camera footage from non-subject requester
  Rule: Body camera footage is exempt from FOIA unless a Body Camera Act exception applies, and the public interest in disclosure is irrelevant to this exemption.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage of a reported incident (non-binding determination letter, October 21, 2024) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83380/
- Withholding of body camera footage under FOIA
  Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA disclosure unless an exception in section 10-20(b) of the Body Camera Act applies, such as when the requester is the subject or the recording is flagged and authorized.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage of a private meeting between officers (non-binding determination letter, October 3, 2024) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83177/
- Body camera footage disclosure under Body Camera Act
  Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless disclosure is authorized under the Body Camera Act, which only permits flagged recordings involving death or bodily harm from law enforcement engagement.
  Decision: Police body and dash camera footage of a traffic accident (non-binding determination letter, March 11, 2024) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-79651/
- Redaction of body camera audio under section 7.5(cc)
  Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt except as authorized by the Body Camera Act, which permits redaction of persons not the officer, subject, or directly involved.
  Decision: Body-camera footage and 911 recordings of a YMCA incident (non-binding determination letter, February 6, 2023) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-74512/
- Body camera footage from private residence denied without written consent
  Rule: Body camera recordings of subjects with a reasonable expectation of privacy are exempt unless the agency obtains the subject's written permission.
  Decision: Police body-camera footage of a search warrant execution (non-binding determination letter, January 10, 2020) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-60599/
- Disclosure of body camera recordings to requester's client
  Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless disclosure is authorized under the Body Camera Act; CPD properly withheld recordings because the requester's client was not a subject of the encounter and the recordings were not flagged.
  Decision: Police body-camera recordings of a traffic crash (non-binding determination letter, August 1, 2019) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-57517/
- Withholding of non-flagged body camera recordings from requester
  Rule: A public body may withhold non-flagged body camera recordings from a requester who is not the subject of the encounter or otherwise authorized under the Body Camera Act.
  Decision: Police body-camera recordings of a dispatch incident (non-binding determination letter, August 31, 2017) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-48793/

MOST-CITED AUTHORITIES: Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 48793; Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 19-001; Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 60599; Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 74512; Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 57517; Workmann v. Illinois State Board of Education, 229 Ill. App. 3d 459, 463-64 (1992)

TASK FOR THE ASSISTANT: Using only the decisions above, help draft a letter. Argue from the rule and cite the decision by name and date. Do not invent decisions.

Violation found (2)

Body camera footage flagged under Body Camera Act
Rule: Body camera recordings flagged due to an arrest are subject to disclosure under FOIA and the Body Camera Act does not prohibit disclosure.
Violation found Police body-camera footage of a traffic stop arrest · March 20, 2025
Redaction of body camera footage under section 7.5(cc)
Rule: Section 7.5(cc) does not permit redaction of subjects' faces; only non-subjects not directly involved may be redacted.
Violation found Police body-camera footage of a public encounter · October 4, 2023

No violation (15)

Withholding body camera transcripts not possessed
Rule: A public body does not violate FOIA by not disclosing records it does not possess.
No violation Police body-camera footage and transcripts of a parking-lot interaction · July 21, 2026
Withholding body camera recordings under section 7.5(cc)
Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt unless disclosure is authorized under the Body Camera Act, such as to the subject of the encounter or if flagged.
No violation Police body-camera footage and transcripts of a parking-lot interaction · July 21, 2026
Withholding non-flagged body camera recordings from requester
Rule: Non-flagged body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA disclosure unless the requester is the subject of the encounter, the officer, or their legal representative.
No violation Police body-camera footage of a motor vehicle accident investigation · October 6, 2020
Redaction of body camera footage of other subject
Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless flagged or requested by the subject of the encounter; a person given a notice to appear is not arrested or detained.
No violation Police body-camera footage of an encounter with others · July 29, 2025
Withholding of body camera footage under Body Camera Act and FOIA
Rule: A parent is not a 'subject of the encounter' under the Body Camera Act, and footage of a minor interacting with police about a matter where no arrest occurred is exempt under FOIA's privacy exemption.
No violation Police reports and body camera footage of an incident involving a minor · July 29, 2025
Withholding of body camera footage of other subject
Rule: Body camera footage of a subject with a reasonable expectation of privacy may be disclosed only with that subject's written consent.
No violation Police incident reports, CAD notes, 911 audio, and body-camera footage of an arrest · April 10, 2025
Withholding non-subject body camera footage
Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA except as authorized by the Body Camera Act, which allows disclosure only to the subject of the encounter.
No violation Body-camera footage of a police officer on a specific date · January 6, 2025
Denial of body-worn camera footage to non-subject requester
Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless flagged or requested by the subject of the encounter; the requester was not the subject.
No violation Police body-camera footage of a private-residence incident · January 15, 2025
Withholding body camera footage from non-subject requester
Rule: Body camera footage is exempt from FOIA unless a Body Camera Act exception applies, and the public interest in disclosure is irrelevant to this exemption.
No violation Police body-camera footage of a reported incident · October 21, 2024
Withholding of body camera footage under FOIA
Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA disclosure unless an exception in section 10-20(b) of the Body Camera Act applies, such as when the requester is the subject or the recording is flagged and authorized.
No violation Police body-camera footage of a private meeting between officers · October 3, 2024
Body camera footage disclosure under Body Camera Act
Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless disclosure is authorized under the Body Camera Act, which only permits flagged recordings involving death or bodily harm from law enforcement engagement.
No violation Police body and dash camera footage of a traffic accident · March 11, 2024
Redaction of body camera audio under section 7.5(cc)
Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt except as authorized by the Body Camera Act, which permits redaction of persons not the officer, subject, or directly involved.
No violation Body-camera footage and 911 recordings of a YMCA incident · February 6, 2023
Body camera footage from private residence denied without written consent
Rule: Body camera recordings of subjects with a reasonable expectation of privacy are exempt unless the agency obtains the subject's written permission.
No violation Police body-camera footage of a search warrant execution · January 10, 2020
Disclosure of body camera recordings to requester's client
Rule: Body camera recordings are exempt from FOIA unless disclosure is authorized under the Body Camera Act; CPD properly withheld recordings because the requester's client was not a subject of the encounter and the recordings were not flagged.
No violation Police body-camera recordings of a traffic crash · August 1, 2019
Withholding of non-flagged body camera recordings from requester
Rule: A public body may withhold non-flagged body camera recordings from a requester who is not the subject of the encounter or otherwise authorized under the Body Camera Act.
No violation Police body-camera recordings of a dispatch incident · August 31, 2017