The Pros And Cons Of Body Cameras

Over the last few years there has been much controversy leading up to the need for law enforcement officers to wear body cameras. This is not only for citizens but also for the officers’ protection. With so much debate regarding police brutality and excessive force body cameras are quickly on the rise. New technology is giving police on a state and federal level a new opportunity to cut back on some of the allegations and negativity we have seen in the last few years. On the other hand it is giving citizens all over the country the safety they should feel when being approached by law enforcement. Our technology has improved significantly over the years and this seems to be something that will benefit everyone.

“There have been other high-profile instances of officers not turning on cameras. One officer involved in the shooting of a 22-year-old black man in the small city of Saratoga Springs, Utah, in September didn't turn on his body camera. A second officer involved in the incident had no camera” (Jackson). Body Cameras could help officers make their jobs easier by keeping civilians more civil. Body Cameras would help show if they unnecessary force against civilians. The more use of body cameras would help improve behaviors of officers who are using excessive force for no

Within recent years there has been much controversy surrounding police officers and whether or not they should be wearing body cameras to document their everyday interactions with the public. While the use of body cameras may seem to invade the public or police privacy. Police-worn body cameras will be beneficial to law enforcement and civilians all over the world. Police must be equipped with body cameras to alleviate any doubt in the effectiveness of officers. Law enforcement worn body cameras would enhance the trust of the public by keeping both the officers and the citizens accountable for their actions, providing evidence, and helping protect them from false accusations, while protecting privacy

In today 's society, one highly debatable topic is whether or not law enforcement agents should wear body cameras. Most cameras used by law enforcement agencies across the country record audio and video, therefore, the cameras see and hear nearly everything a law enforcement officer does. There are many advantages to law enforcement personnel using body cameras while on duty because it holds the officers accountable, is used to document the contact made between the officers and the victims and/or suspects, supports the “use of force” action, keeps the officers and citizens honest, and the videos can even be used for training for other officers.

Body cameras in policing are still new, but more and more agencies are beginning to implement this technology into their line of work. At first police officers were very hesitant to wear these body cameras because they were afraid they would infringe themselves and give away their own privacy. Later, as body cameras were beginning to see more use in the work place, officers began to realize that these very own body cameras that they once thought would only cause themselves harm would actual prove to be useful in a variety of situations. Some of these situations can be citizen complaints, to even backing up an officers use of force. Body cameras can be the one sole thing that can give

The dispute of police body cameras truly hit the media hard this week. Blasting from the headlines all citizens were aware that Michael Brown was lethally shot in Ferguson, Missouri. This prompted officers to become fortified with body cameras. This technologically progressive world that we live in today has shaped a world of tweeting, posting and uploading. It’s about time that police departments take advantage of the tools accessible to them, especially with the advancement of equipment. The move forward in technology will help to alleviate speculation on any misconduct perpetrated. There now will be hard honest evidence of any crime committed against a police officer.

With so many incidents occurring between law enforcement and civilians, it’s about time we have our officers wear body cameras. Law enforcement wants to use body cameras, many politicians are in favor for them, Civil-rights groups are advocating them, and communities that already have a strong police presence in their neighborhoods are requesting that the police get cameras now. With the uproar of law enforcement and the death of many black American’s, body cameras can be very useful. There is always that missing link when trying to put these horrible moments back together. Far too many times we end up with the suspect dead and only get one side of the story. With the use of body cameras, we can now get more insight on the events that happen (Boyd, 2015).

The issue of police body cameras really hit the media hard this week. Blasting from the headlines all citizens were aware that Michael Brown was fatally shot in Ferguson, Missouri. This prompted officers to become equipped with body cameras. This technologically advanced world that we live in today has created a world of tweeting, posting and uploading. It’s about time that police departments take advantage of the tools accessible to them especially with the advancement of equipment. The move forward in technology will help to alleviate speculation on any crime perpetrated. There now will be hard factual evidence on any crime committed against a police officer.

With today’s advanced technology, police body cameras have proven to be very useful. They are crucial in putting an end to unnecessary police misconduct. In 2012, the Rialto Police Department in California implemented police body cameras and recorded the outcome. The results showed that “the number of complaints filed against officers fell by 88 percent compared with the previous 12 months. Use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent over the same period” (Lovett). Without a doubt, police body cameras do the trick to prevent potentially dangerous situations from occurring. As William A. Farrar, the Rialto police chief once stated, “When you put a camera on a police officer, they tend to behave a little better, follow the rules a little better. And if a citizen knows the officer is wearing a camera, chances are the citizen will behave a little better.” I strongly agree with this statement because if the interaction between the officer and the citizen is being recorded, neither of the two will want to behave badly. The citizen knows that their bad behavior could result in consequences and the officer knows that their misconduct could result in punishment or even the loss of their job. The cameras record every detail that can be looked back on if there was a complaint filed against the officer that was wearing it. Clearly, police body

Even though every police department are planning to have cameras on each officer by the summer of 2017, it is a lofty goal. Another disadvantage is that the cameras will show more than just facts. In the article, “Police Body Camera Show More Than Just the Facts” written by Eileen Sullivan, a Seattle man was arrested in January and though he has yet to be charged with an offence, his arrest was captured on the police officer's body camera along with his full name, phone number, and birthdate. Additionally, there is another issue that comes into question such as police officers failing to

Body cameras can lastly, justify lethal force made by police. A man got his job saved after shooting a man and having a body camera filming, but first his bulletproof vest had to save him, this man would have lost his job if he did not have a body camera to justify the use of his gun. If someone tries to lethally harm you, you should have the right to retaliate against them, without losing your job. A cop got to keep his job after shooting a black teen as the teen tried to reach for the cops gun. All in all body cameras should be used to keep police safe and be able to keep their jobs.

Lately, mainstream media outlets have deeply covered recent officer involved shootings and use of force events by police. As a result, much of the public has latched onto the idea that police officers should be required to wear body cameras, which the public believes will somehow miraculously stop any excessive use of force by police. As a society, we have an inclination to limit our ability to solve problems effectively, when faced with pressure from the public and the media. Typically, we look for quick and easy methods to appease the masses, without considering all the ramifications of our chosen solution. In actuality, it’s very improbable that police body-worn cameras will bring a swift resolution to how officers use force.

The video taken may not be conclusive and may just lead to more questions. Police officers have a lot of important duties to remember. Wearing body cameras may be one more thing that distracts them from keeping everyone safe. Cops need to be trained to be on there best always no rely on a camera to catch every incident. The Scientific Board of Editors believes in body cameras “Proponents argue that the small, tamper-proof body-cameras will lead to fewer violent encounters between police officers and citizens because everyone knows that their speech and actions can be retrieved later.

Second, the use of camera footage can help to train officers in handling future interactions with citizens (Lights, Camera, Action: The age of body cameras in law enforcement). The purpose of it is to show someone’s experience with the public so that other officers will make less mistakes. This creates officers that are better trained and aware of different circumstances that may occur. The public can benefit from this because situations will be handled with less force and deadly actions by the police. It is important that the police maintain the safety of

Pollock points out that “The nation has seemingly become enamored with the idea of all police officers wearing body cameras that would record every interaction with the citizen” (pp. 211, 2017). The ability of body cameras to provide an unbiased account of interactions is an invaluable asset when trying to reconstruct a truthful, chronological interpretation of events. The camera never lies and provides evidence for a case provided from the point-of-view officers involved. As with every topic, several pros and cons are involved with the use of body cameras by law enforcement.