“It’s Coming Right For Us!”: How Police Perform for the Body Cam

By: John Guidry

Everyone now has phones with cameras, and the world is not necessarily a better place as a result. We’ve seen huge declines in privacy (and apparently topless sunbathing in France) because of the fear that “you can end up on Facebook.”

But modern technology is now in the hands of the police. I’m not talking about armored vehicles; I’m talking about Body Cams and Dash Cams. Is this a good thing? Yes and No.

Video protects citizens and reveals the truth. But as any defense attorney knows, the “truth” is often manipulated by the person wearing the camera.

Did the police report say you were “stumbling,” but the video shows you walking fine?

Video doesn’t lie, but officers do. Call John today at (407) 423-1117.

The “Vomit” Exception (Why Cops Hated Cameras at First)

When I started defending criminal cases in 1993, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office experimented with video cameras. Guess what happened? We started winning more DUI trials.

• Before Video: The officer (shiny badge, trained voice) would tell the jury, “The defendant was staggering and slurring.” The jury believed every word.
• With Video: The jury could see for themselves. Often, the driver looked fine. The officer’s exaggeration was exposed.

The Reaction: The Sheriff’s Office pulled the cameras. Suddenly, videos disappeared. Through a “miracle of science,” a DUI video would only pop into existence if the driver was falling-down drunk or vomiting. If you looked good? “The camera was broken.”

The New Trick: “Narrating” the Video

The good news is, times are changing. Cameras are back. The bad news is, some officers have learned how to work the system. They know the camera sees what they see, but it records what they say. The new trick is to testify to the camera about things that aren’t actually happening.

Common “Performance” Phrases:

• “Stop Resisting!” (Yelled while the suspect is lying perfectly still).
• “Stop trying to take my gun!” (Used to justify excessive force, even when hands are in the air).
• “I saw the dope, where did you hide it?” (Creating a false record for the jury).

The South Park Defense: It reminds me of the South Park episode where hunters yell, “It’s coming right for us!” before shooting harmless animals to claim self-defense. Officers use these monologues to trick prosecutors and judges who are all too eager to believe the audio over the video.

My Proposal: Wouldn’t it be nice if citizens played this game too? Imagine a roadside stop where you yell, “Is that alcohol I smell on your breath, Officer?” It would be a sparring match of unverifiable claims.

The Privacy Dilemma

The only downside to body cams is the “Community Caretaker” role. Police deal with sensitive situations—rape victims, mental health crises, domestic disputes.

• The Problem: How can an officer respect a victim’s privacy with the camera rolling?
• The Balance: We want the video of the accusation, but we don’t want to exploit a hurting victim. It is a tough balance, but transparency usually wins.

John’s 2026 Update: Auto-Activation & The “Mute” Button

Note: In the past, cops could “forget” to turn on the camera. In 2026, the camera turns itself on.

1. Holster Sensors & Auto-Activation In 2026, most body cams are linked to the officer’s gun holster and taser.

• The Tech: The moment the weapon is drawn, the camera activates automatically. It also captures the 30 seconds prior to activation (the “buffer”).
• The Defense: We scrutinize that 30-second buffer. Often, it contains no audio, but it shows the officer’s aggression before the “performance” started.

2. The “Mute” Button Abuse Since they can’t turn the camera off easily anymore, officers abuse the Mute button.

• The Tactic: You will see the video go silent right before they discuss their “story” with another officer.
• The Argument: We argue that “Spoliation of Evidence” applies. If they muted the audio during a critical investigation moment, we ask the jury to infer they were conspiring to lie.

3. AI Sentiment Analysis We now use AI software to scan hours of body cam footage.

• The Tool: The AI flags keywords (like “resisting”) and analyzes the officer’s tone vs. the suspect’s volume. If the AI shows the suspect was speaking calmly while the officer was screaming, it destroys the “he was aggressive” narrative.

The Camera is Your Best Witness

If the officer is lying, the video is often the only thing that can save you—but only if you have a lawyer who knows how to spot the “performance.”

Call me at (407) 423-1117. Let’s review the tape.

About John Guidry II

John Guidry II is a seasoned criminal defense attorney and founder of the Law Firm of John P. Guidry II, P.A., located in downtown Orlando next to the Orange County Courthouse, where he has practiced for over 30 years. With more than three decades of experience defending clients throughout Central Florida since 1993, Guidry has successfully defended thousands of cases in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake, and Volusia counties. He has built a reputation for his strategic approach to criminal defense, focusing on pretrial motions and case dismissals rather than jury trials.

Guidry earned both his Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration from St. Louis University in 1993. He is a member of the Florida Bar and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. His practice encompasses the full spectrum of Florida state criminal charges, with a particular emphasis on achieving favorable outcomes through thorough pretrial preparation and motion practice.

Beyond the courtroom, Guidry is a prolific legal educator who has authored over 400 articles on criminal defense topics. He shares his legal expertise through his popular YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok accounts, where he has built a substantial following of people eager to learn about the law. His educational content breaks down complex legal concepts into accessible information for the general public.

When not practicing law, Guidry enjoys tennis and pickleball, and loves to travel. Drawing from his background as a former recording studio owner and music video producer in the Orlando area, he brings a creative perspective to his legal practice and continues to apply his passion for video production to his educational content.