Video Camera Policy Issues

First advantage in law enforcement agents wearing body cameras is to hold the officers accountable. “Holding the officers accountable, will ensure the officer adheres to policies and procedures during an encounter with victims and suspects.” Body-worn cameras are poised to help boost accountability for law enforcement and citizens and, unlike many new police technologies, the cameras share preliminary support from both law enforcement and social justice groups. Successful implementation of the cameras will require careful policies that respect and protect both the police and the public.

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

The body camera has become a popular choice amongst police departments worldwide. The situation of the scenario, and if the officer or suspect acted in the right can be determined from past footage. The cause of the body camera has been the allegations against officers for how they acted in certain situations, as well as for how the suspect acted during the callout. The effect has been officers being terminated due to lack of integrity or situational awareness, as well as officer safety. Suspects have also been convicted of false accusations against a police officer, as well as crimes presented in court, from fights, to officer involved shootings. The body worn camera has benefited both police officers and the general public.

The social media and the public might want police body cam footage release but sometimes it might be to graphic or controversial. Police body cameras have been a topic since the incident with Michael Brown in august of 2014. Police shot and killed an unarmed individual in ferguson, MO, leading to many people wanting cameras on police. Whether the cameras are a good idea or not this paper will explore the facts and sides of police body cameras. Overall body cameras should be required Because they can save the lives of the innocent, keep innocent people from going to jail, and can help a case as more evidence.

Everyone is entitled to privacy, especially when it comes to law enforcement. To make the public, and the officers protecting them, feel protected the implementation of body-worn-cameras in the police force is occurring. Sometimes, this equipment malfunctions and ends up doing more harm than the good it promised. When this occurs, a reevaluation of how the cameras are being used should happen to make sure improvements occur. As shown by the recent privacy violations to the Round Lake Police Department regarding body-worn cameras, officers need to become more familiar with the technology they are using and stricter policies about their usage are necessary.

Historically speaking, authorities of the law were never in a position where their professional duties and their character as a public servant of the law were demeaned in a way that there needs to be constant surveillance of them and the people whom they come into contact with. There was never a need of documenting every encounter you had with a civilian before. In this day in age, things have certainly changed, and the past has always been something society likes to change and make better even if it raises concerns. Due to all the violent police stories that has surfaced in the past decade, the idea of having police officers wear video cameras as a part of their uniform while on duty has resulted in a radically divergent account of society’s future. The law may uphold cops to wear cameras while working, but is this really the best decision? This topic is very controversial and may create issues with cops and the civilians they try and protect in the future.

To peep or not to peep, that is the question being asked by many regarding police body cameras in communities. The topic of police brutality is a rising issue in today’s society. Several questions have arose over the use of police body cameras and whether they are a good or bad idea. Police body cameras have has a variety of concern to many communities regarding their potential. Every city has a different trust and relationship for their police force and these concerns vary depending on the community. People have the concern regarding privacy, protection, and impact on the community and more. After researching the problems caused by Police body cameras as well as its background, the current state of the issue, and the potential solutions, it is clear that communities need to bring a solution to this situation.Such as laws, policies, rules, and more to control this new information.

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

Some will say that body cameras are invading their privacy and they are causing bigger issues, but the statistics show a drop in complaints over the past few years because body cameras are making a big improvement in today’s world. Body-worn cameras are going to continue to be used by police officer’s and they are going to continue to make big improvements. All people who are being recorded should feel safe and comfortable while being on camera and that’s what the police are aiming for. As of right now in the year 2017, body cameras are going to remain on police officer’s and resolve all the issues that are

Body cameras are proven to make policemen act better while they’re are on duty. “Police officers "tend to behave a little better"(Kon, Body Cameras for Police Officers). if they know their behavior is being recorded on camera” stated author Tsin Yen Kon. Police will act better cause they know they are being “watched”. Just like when a student has a parent to sit in their class, they act very well, police do the same. Police will also act right, because they don’t want to lose their jobs or get fired because some careless mistake that they made while on camera. “When police officers are acutely aware that their behavior is being monitored (because they turn on the cameras), and when officers tell citizens that the cameras are recording their behavior, everyone behaves better” (Knickerbocker). Brad Knickerbocker, the author, explains how both sides of the camera, police, and criminal will have an effect on their behavior because they know that they are being watched, and recorded. When people know they are being watched, it is like they get scared, because they don't want anything to be used against them. Although cameras will make police act better, people will still think that police brutality will still happen.

It’s also a concern that officers will have the ability to change the video or their reports based on the videos if they are allowed to review them before filing reports. It is feared that officers will have more control over what happens with the videos, where they end up, or alter them in any way, consequently putting someone else’s innocence in jeopardy. A way to prevent these events from happening, it is expected to put some limitations officers have with their body cameras. For example, the camera can be deactivated when interviewing a victim of sexual assault, to maintain the victim’s privacy. The officer will have complete control over when the camera is on and when it is off.

I will identify the advantages of using body cameras as well as the drawbacks (Pollack, 2017). I will discuss if I was stopped by a police officer for a traffic offense would I want to be videotaped. If I was involved in a domestic violence incident would I want to be videotaped when the officers arrived? Then I will discuss whether the police should have the discretion to turn off the camera when they believe a person’s privacy is being invaded regardless of what the person involved thinks so.

Much interest in the technology of the body cameras comes from a growing problem that the United States has been having a major problem with police violence. Though some might argue that the wearing of body cameras violate privacy, in fact the use of the cameras will minimize violence, show accountability, and a human side of policing. These body cameras would help serve by providing video evidence that can be referenced and use anytime allegations are made against police officers and criminals alike. The use of these body cameras are somewhat in the evaluation and study stages, but they are quickly becoming the standard in some police departments across the United States. These cameras would not only serve to provide video evidence, but it provide accountability. The ideal policy for the cams is that they stay on and continue recording throughout police officers shifts, which would help eliminate any possibility of doing something that would not be used as evidence later on and help them evade the recording of abuse committed while on duty.

In my opinion, the police body worn camera is advantageous for both police officer and civilians because it gathers strong evidence in a crime scene. Recordings from the camera will be useful for jurors and prosecutor to begin to examine the case they are about to deal. The camera recordings are proof of evidence that tells exactly what happened in a crime scene in additional to eyewitness testimony. In cases like the eyewitness will not remember exactly what happened in the crime scene, the prosecutor has another evidence to look at to solve the case. Also, if ever the police officer will misuse his power, the recordings will prove it. The camera will help police officer to avoid any forceful actions to the suspect. It can help the officer

Today 's society, where police presences and force is a common necessity for citizens to feel secure and safe while being in public, causes a controversial debate to surface; whether police surveillance cameras are a necessary tool in public safety or are the police surveillance cameras a violation of citizens ' rights and civil liberties. An abundance of individuals believe that the installation of police surveillance cameras, also know as, CCTV (closed circuit television), does not infringe on their civil liberties, due to no specific mentioning of Americans having the right to privacy in the Constitution of United States. However, the believers of police CCTV do not realize that the manner in which public officials use information obtained by CCTV may violate their civil liberties. Whether these cameras cause citizens to sacrifice their civil liberties should not be the only deciding factor in whether police CCTV should be enforced in public areas, e.g. public parks and city streets. There are other components that should be considered before the debate of CCTV violating American 's civil liberties; for example, effectiveness of police surveillance cameras, the cost and who will be funding the installation, maintenance and wages of police monitoring the cameras. These three factors alone are reason enough to oppose the installation and use of police surveillance cameras.