Which camera companies share footage with police?

Facts last verified · Every claim is linked to its source · Methodology

This page reports what companies and public records say, with links. It is informational and not legal advice.

Current policies, by company

CompanyScore categoryWhat it says about police requests
ReolinkLegal processNo separate law-enforcement guidelines found; privacy policy says it shares personal information when required by law or "mandatorily required by government authorities".1
Ubiquiti UniFiNo access to videoVideo is stored on your own console; Ubiquiti says it cannot view, store or access video streams, so it has no video to hand over.2
AmcrestDiscretionaryApp privacy policy: Amcrest "may provide certain portions of your personal information to lawful organizations and government authorities if so requested." No warrant requirement stated.34
AqaraDiscretionaryUS privacy policy: discloses to law enforcement "if required or permitted to do so by law or legal process", and may disclose to prevent physical harm. No warrant requirement or user notice stated.5
eufy (Anker)Legal processAnker (eufy's owner) confirmed to CNET in 2022, as reported by The Verge, that it would not give authorities footage without a warrant or court order; Consumer Reports says eufy confirmed it also has a policy for sharing without a warrant in potentially life-threatening emergencies.67
WyzeLegal processWyze says government data requests must come with a subpoena, search warrant, court order or judgment (a subpoena is not a warrant). Its privacy policy also allows disclosure for "lawful requests by public authorities".897
ArloWarrantRequires a search warrant before producing video.10
Google NestLegal processRequires legal process but has an emergency exception to share without a warrant; said in 2022 it had never used it for Nest.67
Ring (Amazon)Warrant + emergencyWarrant required for content; no content for subpoenas; emergency disclosures possible (used 11 times in 2022 through July).111213
Blink (Amazon)DiscretionaryNo Blink law-enforcement guidelines found. Privacy notice: Blink releases account and other personal information "when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law" or to protect the rights, property or safety of Blink, users or others.14
TP-Link (Tapo, Kasa)DiscretionaryTapo privacy policy: shares information on a "good faith belief" that disclosure is needed to comply with law or legal process, or to respond to legal claims "like search warrants, court orders, production orders, or subpoenas" from parties including law enforcement. No warrant requirement stated. The Kasa app privacy policy uses the same language.1516
SimpliSafeLegal processSimpliSafe's law-enforcement guidelines: account content (including video) requires a "Search Warrant OR Subpoena with prior notice to Customer OR 18 U.S.C. 2703(d) Court Order and prior notice to Customer"; a separate emergency process covers "danger of death or serious physical injury". Its camera-privacy page says it won't share footage "unless required by law".1718
LorexLegal processLorex's privacy policy: shares with "Government bodies and law enforcement, to the extent they have a binding order or warrant", and says that if you do not have a Lorex Cloud Storage Plan, "we cannot disclose your Video Data".19
ecobeeDiscretionaryecobee's privacy notice lists disclosure "To respond to law enforcement requests and, as required by applicable law, court order or governmental regulations". No warrant requirement stated.20
EZVIZDiscretionaryEZVIZ's US privacy policy: discloses "In response to a legal request (e.g. a search warrant, court order or subpoena) if we have a good-faith belief that the law requires us to do so", and to protect you or others. No warrant requirement stated.21
SwannDiscretionarySwann's US privacy policy: shares information "where we are legally required to do so, such as in response to court orders, law enforcement or legal process", and for potential threats to personal safety. No warrant requirement stated.22
LocklyDiscretionaryLockly's privacy policy: may disclose information on a "good-faith belief" that it is needed "in response to a court order, judicial or other government subpoena or warrant, or to otherwise cooperate with law enforcement or other governmental agencies".23

Timeline

  1. Asked by The Verge, Arlo, Apple, Wyze and Anker (eufy) said they require a warrant or court order. Google and Amazon said they have emergency exceptions. 6
  2. Amazon told Sen. Ed Markey that Ring had given police footage without owner consent 11 times that year under its emergency exception. 1213
  3. Ring ended the "Request for Assistance" tool that let police ask users for video in the Neighbors app. 24
  4. Ring launched Community Requests, letting agencies using Axon's evidence system ask nearby users for footage; sharing is voluntary. 25
  5. Ring began rolling out Familiar Faces, an opt-in facial recognition feature, drawing criticism from Sen. Markey and the EFF. 26
  6. Ring's Super Bowl ad for Search Party, a cloud scan of outdoor video for lost dogs that is on by default for subscribers, drew backlash. 27
  7. Ring and Flock canceled a planned integration announced in Oct 2025. Ring says it never launched and no videos were sent to Flock. 28
  8. Ring's current guidelines: a search warrant is required for content, no content is given for subpoenas, emergency disclosures are possible, and Ring can only access video that is not end-to-end encrypted. 11

How local storage changes the question

A company can only hand over video it holds. Ubiquiti says UniFi Protect recordings stay on your own console and that it cannot access your video 2; Ring says it cannot access end-to-end encrypted video. 11

Informational only, not legal advice. Found an error? Tell us.

Sources

  1. Reolink Privacy Policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  2. Ubiquiti: How UniFi Protect protects your data · checked Oct 22, 2026
  3. Amcrest: Privacy protection (apps) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  4. Amcrest Privacy Policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  5. Aqara US Privacy Policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  6. The Verge: Which camera companies share video without a warrant (Jul 2022) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  7. Consumer Reports: Ring, Google, SimpliSafe could share footage with police · checked Oct 22, 2026
  8. Wyze: Your data request contents explained · checked Oct 22, 2026
  9. Wyze Privacy Policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  10. Arlo: Law enforcement guidelines · checked Oct 22, 2026
  11. Ring: Law enforcement guidelines · checked Oct 22, 2026
  12. AP: Amazon gave Ring footage to police without consent (Jul 2022) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  13. Sen. Markey: Probe into Amazon Ring reveals new privacy problems (Jul 2022) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  14. Blink Privacy Notice · checked Oct 22, 2026
  15. TP-Link Tapo Privacy Policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  16. TP-Link: Kasa app privacy policy (updated Jan 29, 2024) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  17. SimpliSafe: Law enforcement guidelines · checked Oct 22, 2026
  18. SimpliSafe: Camera privacy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  19. Lorex: Privacy policy (effective Oct 31, 2025) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  20. ecobee: Privacy notice (effective Nov 27, 2024) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  21. EZVIZ (US): Privacy policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  22. Swann (US): Privacy policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  23. Lockly: Privacy policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
  24. AP: Ring ends police 'Request for Assistance' tool (Jan 2024) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  25. Ring blog: Community Requests launch with Axon (Sep 2025) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  26. TechCrunch: Ring rolls out Familiar Faces facial recognition (Dec 9, 2025) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  27. The Verge: Ring's Search Party Super Bowl ad backlash (Feb 2026) · checked Oct 22, 2026
  28. Ring blog: Ring and Flock cancel partnership (Feb 2026) · checked Oct 22, 2026