Giving Video to Police or an Insurer - Exporting Clips the Right Way
Last verified: October 2026
The calm, correct way to hand over your camera footage when the police or an insurer asks — export a copy, keep your original, give only the clip that matters. Rather have a hand? My number is (330) 200-8042.
Handing Over Footage, at a Glance
When the police or an insurer asks for your video, the right move is simple: find the clip by date and time, export a copy, and leave the original untouched on your system. Give only the relevant clip — never the whole recorder — keep the on-screen date and time, and jot down what you gave and to whom. This guide walks you through it in plain English, including when to pause and call your attorney. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 Should I ever hand over my whole recorder or hard drive?
No. Export a copy of the clip they need and keep your system and your original footage. Handing over the box takes your cameras offline, shares everyone else's footage, and loses your own copy. Offer the export instead.
2 How quickly do I need to grab the footage?
As soon as you can. Most recorders record over the oldest footage once they fill up, so the clip you need has a shelf life. When in doubt, export it the same day and sort out who gets it later.
3 What should the clip actually include?
A tight clip of the incident — a minute or two before and after — with the on-screen date and time showing, from the camera that caught it. Note which camera and the key time when you hand it over.
4 What if they can't open the file I give them?
Usually it needs the maker's little player program, which you forgot to include, or a standard-format export. Re-export in a standard format or send the player along, and always test the copy on another device first.
5 Do I have to give the police everything they ask for?
For a routine request you can choose to help with the relevant clip. For anything broad, sensitive, or backed by a warrant or subpoena, check with your attorney first. This is general information, not legal advice.
6 What about other people caught in the footage?
Trimming to the incident naturally cuts out most unrelated foot traffic. Share only what's relevant, keep the rest on your system, and don't post incident clips publicly where uninvolved bystanders end up on display.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Getting footage to the police or an insurer shouldn't be stressful. I'll help you find the clip, export a clean copy, keep your original safe, and hand it off the right way — and I'll tell you plainly when something's a question for your attorney. $99 flat for a visit, $49 if I can help on your screen, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).