How to organize camera leads and preservation requests
A camera lead is a place to investigate, not proof that footage exists. A useful camera log lets you see who you contacted, what you asked them to keep and what remains unconfirmed.
Updated October 7, 2026 · By Hit & Run Evidence Preservation · Original practical guidance · Examples are illustrative
Give each possible source its own entry
Record the business or agency name, street address, camera position and the area it appears to face. Add the person or department responsible for requests and a verified contact method. Keep different locations separate, even if the same company operates them.
Use clear status labels: possible camera, operator contacted, request delivered, receipt acknowledged, preservation confirmed, or footage received. These are different stages. A delivery receipt alone does not confirm that a recording has been saved.
Specify the time window and location
Describe where your vehicle was parked and provide a start and end time with the date and time zone. If the car was unattended, explain how you established the window between last seeing it undamaged and discovering damage. Include enough location detail for an operator to identify the relevant camera.
Ask whether the camera covered the location and whether the recording system’s clock matches local time. Record any reported clock difference exactly as the operator describes it. Do not adjust your original timeline silently; keep the original observation and the later clarification.
Ask for preservation and track access separately
A preservation request asks an operator to retain a recording. A request to view or receive it is a separate question. Ask what process the operator uses and whether information must be submitted by the investigating agency. Do not treat a request as a guarantee that footage exists or will be released.
Suggested wording: “I discovered damage to my parked vehicle at [location]. It was last seen undamaged at [time] and discovered damaged at [time], on [date, time zone]. Could you identify the person who handles requests to preserve recordings covering that location and window? Please tell me the appropriate submission process.” Review the details before sending; the website does not send requests for you.
Keep an exact record of delivery and response
Save a copy of the request you sent, its recipient and the sending time. Retain the email acknowledgment, postal tracking or hand-delivery receipt if one is provided. For a conversation, make a dated note distinguishing your summary from any exact quotation.
Illustrative log: “Source C-02, east entrance camera. Request emailed October 7 at 4:10 p.m. Automated acknowledgment received at 4:11 p.m. Coverage and preservation not yet confirmed. Next task: ask which department can confirm receipt and retention.” This avoids marking the task complete too early.
Follow up on the actual uncertainty
Ask the operator about its actual retention schedule rather than assuming every camera keeps the same number of days. If no one confirms a schedule, leave it unknown and follow up promptly. Any countdown in your worksheet is a planning aid, not evidence that a recording will remain available.
If someone says another organization owns the camera, record the referral and create a new source entry. Keep both entries linked so your timeline shows how the lead developed. Give the investigating agency the camera address and your contact history; keep a copy of that submission too.
Record closure without overstating what happened
If footage is unavailable, record who told you, when and the reason they gave. Distinguish “camera did not cover the area,” “operator could not locate footage,” and “operator said footage had been overwritten.” Those statements are not interchangeable.
If footage is received, keep the original file as provided, the accompanying message and a record of its source. Work on a copy for annotations or excerpts. Use Evidence sources and Letters to organize your notes, then download the log and store it with your request copies.
Further reading on keeping digital records
The Library of Congress personal digital archiving resources explain general approaches to keeping photographs, video, email and documents. These are preservation resources, not crash-specific legal instructions. The worked examples on this page are our own illustrations.
Continue your record
Open the evidence utility to organize your notes, or read another guide.
General educational information. For reporting requirements, access rights or legal deadlines, consult the relevant agency or a qualified professional.