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Police officers are launching a legal case against their employers - alleging their privacy was breached when bodycams recorded footage of them using the toilet.

Body cameras became standard issue in the force last September with the intention of filming incidents including traffic stops and dealings with the public.

But now some police in the village of Round Lake Park, Illinois, have claimed that, instead of being switched on to record these moments alone, the cameras were actually rolling constantly.

According to court papers, 10 officers are claiming the cameras gathered "highly offensive and voyeuristic intrusions", reports the Chicago Tribune.

Among the "private and personal acts" they allege were captured are using the bathroom and changing clothes, when their genitals may even have been filmed.

In response, Police Chief George Filenko has expressed surprise that the recordings had been made.

He added: "The police officers who filed the lawsuit against the village made a quick rush to judgment, without considering all of the facts."

He says an investigation into the appropriateness of the footage is ongoing.

Mr Filenko and Deputy Chief Daniel Burch are alleged to be the only two who had access to all footage, with the suit naming them as defendants in the case.

One officer, Dominick Izzo, says he realised the extra film was being taken in May as he looked over his footage, and as such is one of the officers said to be "humiliated, embarrassed and greatly upset."

Police officer's bodycam captures moment elderly couple rescued from fire:

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The 10 plaintiffs are seeking damages of more than £747,000, with the lawsuit carrying one officer's claim that he saw Mr Burch delete unauthorised footage when it was discovered.

If true, this would be in direct contravention of a state law to retain such film for 90 days.

The branded technology, made by Enforcement Video, LLC, of Allen, Texas, doing business as WatchGuard Video, is always recording until it is disabled, the company states, with video typically being recorded over in two days unless it becomes evidence.