29-year-old dies after police intervention which was accidentally recorded

The dramatic footage was presented to media by Police Main Headquarters spokesman Mariusz Ciarka at a special press conference.

In the beginning the video shows the corridor in front of the 29-year-old's flat. His family called the police fearing that the man, struggling with depression and being intoxicated, could harm himself. "Due to the important public and police interest, we reveal the video from the body cam," Ciarka said.

Later on the footage shows Łukasz barricading the door and holding a knife, which the police knock out with an expandable baton. The officers constantly order the man to drop the knife.

According to our sources in Wrocław police, as well as in the main headquarters, the video was shot by accident. An officer was sure he was switching the camera off, but actually he switched it on. Later on, upon entering the flat, he switched the camera off, thinking he was switching it on.

Why he wanted to switch the camera off? The officers we spoke with say they are afraid of being recorded during interventions. "A deep distrust of superiors, because each mistake may be used in disciplinary or criminal proceedings. And it's hard not make any mistakes during a heated intervention, often filled with aggression and emotions," they say.

A research by Rafał Wasiak, an officer from the Police Main Headquarters, he carried out for his doctoral thesis, confirms these concerns.

As many as 41% of officers he asked think that using body cams "will result in excessive control of front line officers' conduct and in superiors pointing out even the smallest procedural mistakes".

There are no clear-cut internal regulations that would determine exactly when police body cams should be switched on, and when not. This situation has been taking place despite the fact that the first body cams were being tested already back in 2015. Their introduction was a result of efforts by police chief Marek Działoszyński, who had been in charge between 2012-2015.

"In the future, the police will be recording interventions using body cameras. Recorded footage is meant to help officers in controversial situations, when they are accused of overstepping authority," Działoszynski said at the time.

In 2019, tvn24.pl asked the police about internal regulations that would impose a duty of having body cams switched on. Soon after we received a reply: "the cameras were tested in three garrisons, and based on collected information, tests, recommendations an 'Instruction for Audiovisual Recording System (RAW) usage has been created, including body cameras used by prevention service officers'".

"This is an instruction only, still no ordinance by police chief has been issued," our source says. We have sent our questions to police spokesperson again on September 27, and once more on September 30, but did not receive any answers by the time of publication of this article.

According to our unofficial information, a debate on where the police should be allowed to use body cams, and where not is ongoing. "For instance, in doctor's offices they can't. But should they be allowed to in sobering centres, which are medical facilities, or not? There's still no agreement with Ministry of Interior and Administration's lawyers. Endless talks are ongoing," said a clerk from this ministry.