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The Reasons Why Police Officers Should Wear Body Cameras

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Published: Feb 9, 2022

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Works Cited

  • 'Considering police body cameras.' Harvard Law Review, Apr. 2015, p. 1794+. Gale Academic Onefile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A412800618/AONE?u=bir5596&sid=AONE&xid=f6ea7cd0. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019.
  • Lippman, Gary E. 'Will Body Cameras Improve Policing in Florida?' Florida Bar Journal, July-Aug. 2017, p. 59+. Gale Academic OneFile Select, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A549336954/EAIM?u=bir5596&sid=EAIM&xid=e485f7c0. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019.
  • “Officer Staged Shooting, Distress Call.” CBS News, 02 August 2019. CBS Interactive Inc.
  • Sacharoff, Laurent, and Sarah Lustbader. 'WHO SHOULD OWN POLICE BODY CAMERA VIDEOS?' Washington University Law Review, vol. 95, no. 2, 2017, p. 269+. Gale Academic OneFile Select, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A515383346/EAIM?u=bir5596&sid=EAIM&xid=ab965cb8. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019.
  • 'Police Body Cameras: Top 3 Pros and Cons.' ProCon Headlines, edited by ProCon.org, 1st edition, 2018. Credo Reference, http://lawsonstate.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/proconph/police_body_cameras_top_3_pros_and_cons/0?institutionId=4837. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019.
  • 'Police Body Cameras.' Issues & Controversies: Overviews and Pro/Con Arguments, edited by Facts On File, 1st edition, 2019. Credo Reference, http://lawsonstate.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/fofissues/police_body_cameras/0?institutionId=4837. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019.
  • Jesse Williams. “Humanitarian Award.” BET Awards. 26 June 2016, Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, CA.

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body camera essay

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Body-Worn Cameras: What the Evidence Tells Us

National Institute of Justice Journal

Updates to what the evidence tells us about body-worn cameras

NIJ has continued to review the available evidence on the effectiveness of body worn cameras, including rating programs and practices on CrimeSolutions. See Research on Body-Worn Cameras and Law Enforcement .

Officer holding body-worn camera

In 1829, Sir Robert Peel — regarded by many as the father of modern policing — developed what came to be known as the Nine Principles of Law Enforcement, which were given to British law enforcement officers as general instructions. Peel’s second principle stated, “The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police existence, actions, behavior and the ability of the police to secure and maintain public respect .” [1]

Nearly 200 years later, Peel’s principle still holds true: The ability of law enforcement to fight crime effectively continues to depend on the public’s perception of the legitimacy of the actions of officers. A number of recent civil disturbances across the United States subsequent to instances of lethal use of force by officers highlight the ongoing challenges in maintaining the public’s perceptions of law enforcement legitimacy, particularly as it concerns the use of force.

Body-worn cameras have been viewed as one way to address these challenges and improve law enforcement practice more generally. The technology, which can be mounted on an officer’s eyeglasses or chest area, offers real-time information when used by officers on patrol or other assignments that bring them into contact with members of the community. Another benefit of body-worn cameras is their ability to provide law enforcement with a surveillance tool to promote officer safety and efficiency and prevent crime.

This technology has diffused rapidly across the United States. In 2013, approximately one-third of U.S. municipal police departments had implemented the use of body-worn cameras. [2] Members of the general public also continue to embrace the technology. But what does the research tell us? Current studies suggest that body-worn cameras may offer benefits for law enforcement, but additional research is needed to more fully understand the value of the technology for the field.

Potential Benefits

Proponents of body-worn cameras point to several potential benefits.

Better transparency. First, body-worn cameras may result in better transparency and accountability and thus may improve law enforcement legitimacy. In many communities, there is a lack of trust and confidence in law enforcement. This lack of confidence is exacerbated by questions about encounters between officers and community members that often involve the use of deadly or less-lethal force. Video footage captured during these officer-community interactions might provide better documentation to help confirm the nature of events and support accounts articulated by officers and community residents. [3]

Increased civility. Body-worn cameras may also result in higher rates of citizen compliance to officer commands during encounters and fewer complaints lodged against law enforcement. Citizens often change their behavior toward officers when they are informed that the encounter is being recorded. This “civilizing effect” may prevent certain situations from escalating to levels requiring the use of force and also improve interactions between officers and citizens. [4]

Quicker resolution. Body-worn cameras may lead to a faster resolution of citizen complaints and lawsuits that allege excessive use of force and other forms of officer misconduct. Investigations of cases that involve inconsistent accounts of the encounter from officers and citizens are often found to be “not sustained” and are subsequently closed when there is no video footage nor independent or corroborating witnesses. This, in turn, can decrease the public’s trust and confidence in law enforcement and increase perceptions that claims of abuse brought against officers will not be properly addressed. Video captured by body-worn cameras may help corroborate the facts of the encounter and result in a quicker resolution.

Corroborating evidence. Footage captured may also be used as evidence in arrests or prosecutions. Proponents have suggested that video captured by body-worn cameras may help document the occurrence and nature of various types of crime, reduce the overall amount of time required for officers to complete paperwork for case files, corroborate evidence presented by prosecutors, and lead to higher numbers of guilty pleas in court proceedings.

Training opportunities. The use of body-worn cameras also offers potential opportunities to advance policing through training. Law enforcement trainers and executives can assess officer activities and behavior captured by body-worn cameras — either through self-initiated investigations or those that result from calls for service — to advance professionalism among officers and new recruits. Finally, video footage can provide law enforcement executives with opportunities to implement new strategies and assess the extent to which officers carry out their duties in a manner that is consistent with the assigned initiatives.

Current Research Findings

The increasing use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement agencies has significantly outpaced the body of research examining the relationship between the technology and law enforcement outcomes. As detailed below, although early evaluations of this technology had limitations, some notable recent research has helped advance our knowledge of the impact of body-worn cameras.

In a 2014 study funded by the Office of Justice Programs Diagnostic Center, researcher Michael White noted that earlier evaluations of body-worn cameras found a number of beneficial outcomes for law enforcement agencies. [5] The earliest studies conducted in the United Kingdom indicated that body-worn cameras resulted in positive interactions between officers and citizens and made people feel safer. Reductions in citizen complaints were noted, as were similar reductions in crime. The studies found that the use of body-worn cameras led to increases in arrests, prosecutions, and guilty pleas. [6] From an efficiency standpoint, the use of the technology reportedly enabled officers to resolve criminal cases faster and spend less time preparing paperwork, and it resulted in fewer people choosing to go to trial.

Studies that followed in the United States also provided support for body-worn cameras; however, a number of them were plagued with dubious approaches that called the findings into question. According to White, the few studies that were conducted between 2007 and 2013 had methodological limitations or were conducted in a manner that raised concerns about research independence. For example, several studies included small sample sizes or lacked proper control groups to compare officers wearing body-worn cameras with officers not wearing them. Some studies were conducted by the participating law enforcement agency and lacked an independent evaluator. Finally, a number of the studies focused narrowly on officer or citizen perceptions of body-worn cameras instead of other critical outcomes, such as citizen compliance and officer or citizen behavior in instances involving use of force.

Over time, scientific rigor improved, and studies conducted in U.S. law enforcement agencies produced findings that indicated promising support for body-worn cameras. For example, in 2014, researchers at Arizona State University (funded through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Smart Policing Initiative) found that officers with body-worn cameras were more productive in terms of making arrests, had fewer complaints lodged against them relative to officers without body-worn cameras, and had higher numbers of citizen complaints resolved in their favor. [7] Another study conducted with the Rialto (California) Police Department noted similar decreases in citizen complaints lodged against officers wearing body-worn cameras as well as decreases in use-of-force incidents by the police. [8] In addition, Justin Ready and Jacob Young from Arizona State University found that officers with body-worn cameras were more cautious in their actions and sensitive to possible scrutiny of video footage by their superiors. Also, contrary to initial concerns, officers who wore cameras were found to have higher numbers of self-initiated contacts with community residents than officers who did not wear cameras. [9]

Recent randomized controlled trials, which are considered the scientific gold standard for evaluating programs, have also been conducted on body-worn cameras. Of the various scientific methods available, these trials have the greatest likelihood of producing sound evidence because random assignment is able to isolate a specific treatment of interest from all of the other factors that influence any given outcome. In a 2016 global, multisite randomized controlled trial, Barak Ariel and colleagues found that use-of-force incidents may be related to the discretion given to officers regarding when body-worn cameras are activated during officer-citizen encounters. The researchers found decreases in use-of-force incidents when officers activated their cameras upon arrival at the scene. Alternatively, use-of-force incidents by officers with body-worn cameras increased when the officers had the discretion to determine when to activate their cameras during citizen interactions. [10]

In 2017, with NIJ support, researchers from CNA conducted a randomized controlled trial on 400 police officers in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The research team found that officers with body-worn cameras generated fewer use-of-force reports and complaints from citizens compared to officers without body-worn cameras. Additionally, officers with body-worn cameras issued higher numbers of arrests and citations compared to officers without body-worn cameras. [11]

More Research Is Needed

An increasing number of studies have emerged to help fill knowledge gaps in the current body of research on body-worn cameras. Researchers at George Mason University noted that 14 studies have been completed and at least 30 others are currently examining the impact of body-worn cameras on various outcomes. [12] The most common outcomes examined include the impact of body-worn cameras on the quality of officer-citizen interactions measured by the nature of the communication, displays of procedural justice and professionalism, and misconduct or corruption; use of force by officers; attitudes about body-worn cameras; citizen satisfaction with law enforcement encounters; perceptions of law enforcement and legitimacy; suspect compliance with officer commands; and criminal investigations and law enforcement-initiated activity. [13]

However, knowledge gaps still exist. The George Mason University researchers highlighted the need to examine organizational concerns regarding body-worn cameras. For example, little attention has been focused on improvements in training and organizational policies. Additional information is also needed on how body-worn cameras can help facilitate investigations of officer-involved shootings or other critical incidents, and on the value of video footage captured by body-worn cameras in court proceedings.

Current research varies by level of rigor and methods used, but the results continue to help law enforcement executives decide whether to adopt this technology in their agencies. Overall, the research on body-worn cameras suggests that the technology may offer potential benefits for law enforcement. However, the true extent of its value will depend on the continuation of research studies to keep pace with the growing adoption and implementation of body-worn cameras by law enforcement agencies in the United States.

For More Information

Read more about NIJ’s work in body-worn cameras .

Visit the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Body-Worn Camera Toolkit .

About This Article

This article was published as part of NIJ Journal issue number 280 , December 2018.

This article discusses the following grant “Research on the Impact of Technology on Policing Strategies,” grant number 2013-IJ-CX-0016

[note 1] Italics in quote are from original publication, Sir Robert Peel’s Principles of Law Enforcement 1829 , Durham Constabulary, Durham, England.

[note 2] Brian A. Reaves, Local Police Departments, 2013: Equipment and Technology , Bulletin, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, July 2015, NCJ 248767.

[note 3] Michael D. White, Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras: Assessing the Evidence , Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2014.

[note 4] Changes in the behavior of citizens may result from the presence of body-worn cameras on officers coupled with citizens being informed in certain encounters that they are being recorded. However, researchers have noted that this civilizing effect is complex and additional research is needed to examine the issue.

[note 5] White, Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras .

[note 6] The use of body-worn cameras was found to be particularly helpful in improving the overall strength of prosecution cases involving domestic violence because the cameras documented the victims’ demeanor and language and recorded the crime scenes and overall emotional effects on the victims.

[note 7] Charles Katz, David Choate, Justin Ready, and Lidia Nuno, “Evaluating the Impact of Officer Worn Body Cameras in the Phoenix Police Department” (Phoenix, AZ: Center for Violence & Community Safety, Arizona State University, 2015).

[note 8] Barak Ariel, William A. Farrar, and Alex Sutherland, “The Effect of Police Body-Worn Cameras on Use of Force and Citizens’ Complaints against the Police: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” Journal of Quantitative Criminolog y 31 no. 3 (2015): 509-535.

[note 9] Justin T. Ready and Jacob T.N. Young, “The Impact of On-Officer Video Cameras on Police-Citizen Contacts: Findings from a Controlled Experiment in Mesa, AZ,” Journal of Experimental Criminology 11 no. 3 (2015): 445-458.

[note 10] Barak Ariel, Alex Sutherland, Darren Henstock, Josh Young, Paul Drover, Jayne Sykes, Simon Megicks, and Ryan Henderson, “Report: Increases in Police Use of Force in the Presence of Body-Worn Cameras Are Driven by Officer Discretion: A Protocol-Based Subgroup Analysis of Ten Randomized Experiments,” Journal of Experimental Criminology 12 no. 3 (2016): 453-463.

[note 11] Anthony Braga, James R. Coldren, William Sousa, Denise Rodriguez, and Omer Alper, The Benefits of Body-Worn Cameras: New Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department , Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, December 2017.

[note 12] Cynthia Lum, Christopher Koper, Linda Merola, Amber Scherer, and Amanda Reioux, “Existing and Ongoing Body Worn Camera Research: Knowledge Gaps and Opportunities” (New York: The Laura and John Arnold Foundation, 2015).

[note 13] Lum also noted an increase in randomized controlled trials among the growing number of body-worn camera studies.

About the author

Brett Chapman is a social science analyst in NIJ’s Office of Research and Evaluation.

Cite this Article

Read more about:, related publications.

  • NIJ Journal Issue No. 280

Related Awards

  • Research on the Impact of Technology on Policing Strategies

Body Cameras for Police

How it works

Police officers wearing body cameras can provide protection for officers, victims, and accused individuals.

Body cameras are compact and portable, and officers wear the camera throughout their shift. They are about the size of a deck of cards and can be mounted to hats, helmets, sunglasses, lapels or uniform collars.

The reasons body cameras provide protection for officers is because it can help decisions made by officers to be reviewed and evaluated. Recorded video evidence refutes false claim against officers. Can record victim statement and witness account.

Recorded video can be used for evidence that is difficult to refute in court.

Body cameras can provide protection for accused individuals because it reduces 50 percent of the force officers show (insert source here). When being recorded, it is likely to Prevent unnecessary confrontations between officers and civilians. Cameras show if the officer reasoning was justified for arresting the accused individual. It clears documentation from officers.

Body cameras provide protection for victims. Eliminates victims from having to remember stuff months later in court. Better presentation higher conviction to rates, fewer trails. Fewer recanting victims. Eliminates cops from asking the same questions and because the answers always recorded.

It’s been a tumultuous and difficult environment for police officers in the U.S. as of late. Fair or not, a handful of incidents have left many in America deeply skeptical of law enforcement procedures and how officers handle potentially contentious situations. One of the proposed solutions to this issue is to equip police officers with body cameras. To some, this sounds like a slam dunk; but others have reservations. To help understand the dispute, we enlisted some law enforcement experts to weigh in on the pros and cons of police body cameras.

Videos of police shootings have become critical to determining what happened in situations that turn deadly. In some cases, strapping cigarette pack-size cameras to officers’ uniforms has been framed as a way to curb police brutality and stem deteriorating trust in law enforcement.

Police officers are responsible for a lot of equipment, and while some might bristle at the thought of adding more to the list, the cameras used for law enforcement are not bulky or particularly burdensome. But the smallest cameras are about the size of a tube of lipstick and can be mounted in a variety of locations on an officer’s body. Altogether the camera and battery pack weigh just less than a quarter of a pound.

Police body cameras do raise some substantial privacy issues. The nature of police work has officers interacting with citizens during their most vulnerable moments. For example, would you feel comfortable knowing anyone could request to view video of an incident that occurred within your home. Or footage of you if you’ve been the victim of a crime. Will officers have the discretion to turn off the camera in sensitive or potentially dangerous situations.

The pros clearly outweigh the cons when it comes to body cameras and their use for law enforcement agencies. With recent high profile events involving civil unrest, body cameras are being rapidly adopted not only by police officers, but other first responders as well.

Although it may seem like the positive effects of having the police wear body cameras outweighs any negative effects, there is another side. If the police are recording everything are they encroaching on personal privacy, Many people would say yes. What if a potential suspect does not want to be recorded. Is the recording infringing on his rights. During an arrest, police cannot turn off the camera, so the suspect will be recorded whether or not he agrees.

Another consideration is whether the police would modify their actions or whether their performance would be hindered because they know they are being recorded. Does having everything recorded cause them to act differently, and what effect do the recordings have on how the community perceives the police; for the better or worse.

Every year there are complaints of police officers allegedly using their power and weapons in ways that may or may not have followed correct police procedures. There are also cases where the officers’ reports differ from the suspect’s account of what happened. Cops will use body cameras on there body known as body cameras but they also use a camera called a dashboard camera so that they can get car chases on camera just like they will get a chase on feet with a body camera. To protect both sides, video documentation can provide the answer. Requiring officers to wear cameras allows for greater transparency on the job. Additional benefits of the use of body cameras includes better evidence collection, enhanced officer accountability, more accurate documentation of the events, improved communication between the police and the public, and the ability to use the videos as training tools for improving police performance.

After a series of high-profile police shootings, police departments across the nation turned to body cameras, hoping they would curb abuses. But a rigorous study released Friday shows that they have almost no effect on officer behavior.

When it’s all said and done, police abuse misconduct and murders will continue to happen if we don’t do something to stop it. Body cameras are one of the most effective forms of showing basically everything in an incident. Victims and witnesses will be shown on a body camera, so it also shows how they act during an arrest. People don’t seem to see body cameras so whenever they do something against the law in an arrest it will most likely be used against them in court. Footage that a body camera picks up will only be used in certain arrangements and will not be shown publicly.

Some people think body cameras are a waste of money because it doesn’t change how cops act to victims, plus they can “accidently” cover the camera and say that they had no idea that it was covered.

In Conclusion, this essay proves how body cameras can provide protection for officers, victims, and accused individuals.

“Police Body Cameras Offer Protection for Officers, Publice.” Monroe Co

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All Police Officers Should Wear a Body Camera

For many decades, the relationship between minority groups in various American cities and law enforcement has been described as tense. Scholars recognize that hostility between police and multiple communities became one of the leading causes of massive civil unrest in the 1960s (White et al. 690). However, to resolve this issue, body-worn cameras (BWCs) were successfully introduced as a recommendation into President Obama’s final 2015 police report (White et al. 689). Overall, there has been a broad spectrum of opinions over the influence of BWCs. Therefore, it is particularly interesting to learn more about the topic to fully comprehend the impacts of such new technology on police force procedures. The literature suggests that the use of body cameras positively contributes to the reinforcement of procedural justice, as well as the prevention of unethical behavior, and police brutality.

One of the primary reasons why BWCs should be introduced into the police officers’ operations is to ensure police conduct’s accuracy. The recent study that interviewed 899 police detainees about their experiences with police BWCs suggested that most participants found BWCs beneficial (Taylor et al. 1). A large proportion of police arrestees mentioned a positive impact on the overall fairness for both police forces and the public. Detainees’ primary reasoning for the assertive attitude of BWCs was their influence on a more accurate projection of events, including arrests. Therefore, the study suggests that people arrested by the police believe that the officers’ conduct and the arrest procedures are better regulated with the BWCs. Moreover, other scholars have presented a positive correlation between BWCs and the accuracy of police conduct. The study that interviewed 249 individuals that participated in the BWC-recorded police encounter suggests a positive relationship between the citizens’ awareness of the use of cameras and their belief in procedural justice (White et al. 694). Therefore, if individuals were knowledgeable of the BWC, they evaluated the encounter with police as impartial. Thus, the BWCs can be implemented as a tool for the formation of improved police legitimacy. Overall, when a subject is conscious of the BWC, they may acknowledge the technology as an effort by the police to be transparent and liable.

Furthermore, the use of BWCs has a positive impact on ethical police performance. Literature suggests that individuals were content with how they were assisted during the contact with the police and how the situation was resolved when the BWCs were used. In general, over eighty percent of individuals who participated in the study agreed that the police representatives acted in a professional manner (White et al. 695). Over seventy percent stated that they assumed the officer was concerned about their well-being (White et al. 695). Lastly, almost two-thirds of the research sample had a positive experience with the police and were content with the resolution. Thus, people are statistically more likely to have a positive experience with law enforcement when they are aware of the BWCs, which leads to the prevention of inappropriate behavior by the police. Additionally, scholars discovered that BWCs had improved the quality of police performance and behavior. Nineteen percent of individuals with positive attitudes towards the usage of cameras emphasized the essential influence they have on the reinforcement of appropriate police rules and regulations (Taylor et al. 7). Thus, BWCs are a useful tool to ensure that both police and agents of the public act professionally. Overall, to assure officers in the United States do not exceed their authority in any possible way, the use of BWCs can assist in resolving contemporary issues with inappropriate police performance.

Lastly, BWCs can ensure police use less force while conducting arrests. The recent protests against police brutality had proven that the problem of excessive use of force is particularly relevant. Literature suggests that police brutality was not evident in some instances because the officers had decided not to mention such occurrences in their police reports (Lippert and Newell 124). Instead, the officers claim that subjects had resisted arrest violently, thus justifying their use of force. However, the street cameras were often able to capture the suspects’ conforming behavior, which is the opposite of the one reported by the police (Lippert and Newell 124). Therefore, the history of similar instances supports the need for BWCs as additional reassurance. Besides the need for additional evidence to police reports regarding their use of force, studies suggest that BWCs have a high potential in resolving this issue. Individuals that encountered police officers stated that BWCs could help relieve tensions and possibly decrease violent confrontations between police and the public (Taylor et al. 6). The implementation of BWCs implies that the officers are not immune to the potential investigation of force overuse. Such changes will mean that exposure to police brutality and unjust profiling will not rely entirely on accidental videoing by street cameras.

However, despite the evidence of BWCs benefits, there are opposing arguments, including the issues with consent and footage falsification. The twelve percent of detainees that claimed BWCs were not acceptable reported having problems with consent (Taylor et al. 7). Thus, the primary concern is those police officers might not regularly notify individuals they were recording their interaction. The consent argument is valid; nonetheless, if all officers will be required to wear body cameras, the public will automatically assume that videos are being taken of them. Thus, the overall awareness of BWCs will prepare both police officers and civilians to be recorded. The other possible argument against the use of body cameras is potential issues with fairness. Nineteen percent of detainees expressed concerns that police “could edit footage or use the cameras selectively” (Taylor et al. 8). Thus, some individuals believe that officers could decide when to turn cameras on or off, possibly not recording acts of mistreatment during the arrests and then videoing arrestees’ responses once agitated. Alternatively, the recordings may be a subject of editing, which can produce misinformation. These arguments do not target the quality of BWCs as a tool but rather reemphasise the ongoing mistrust between the public and the police. Therefore, the improved procedures of BWCs that would ensure clarity and fairness could produce positive results.

The research states that BWCs positively influence the reinforcement of procedural justice, prevention of misconduct, and misuse of force. Various studies claim that individuals who interacted with the police think that the officers’ behavior is better coordinated with the BWCs. Moreover, when people are informed of the BWC, they interpret the cameras as an attempt by law enforcement to be less biased. Therefore, people tend to have a better experience with police officers who use BWCs, which leads to the prevention of improper conduct. Lastly, the arguments used against BWCs are valuable; however, they can be resolved after ensuring that all officers wear body cameras without exception. If public and police officers want to coexist together without tension, the BWCs can be a good start to building trust between the two.

Works Cited

Taylor, Emmeline, et al. “ Police Detainee Perspectives on Police Body-Worn Cameras .” Australian Institute of Criminology , no. 537, 2017, pp. 1-13.

Lippert, Randy, and Bryce Clayton Newell. “Debate Introduction: The Privacy and Surveillance Implications of Police Body Cameras.” Surveillance and Society, vol. 14, 2016, pp.113-116.

White, Michael, et al. “Assessing Citizen Perceptions of Body-Worn Cameras after Encounters with Police.” Policing – an International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 40, 2017, pp. 689-703 . Emerald Publishing Limited. 

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Essays on Body Camera

Body cams and their impact on police misconduct Body cams are widely used by police officers. The cameras are essential for reducing misconduct by police personnel while on the job. The video footage from the cameras aids in comprehending the various processes that the police run into while doing their jobs....

Words: 1244

The article investigates the topic of police officers wearing body cameras in the United States. The author contends that the use of body cameras would help shield police officers from false allegations and discourage rogue officers from intimidating people when doing their duties. In favor of the claim, the article...

Body Cameras are a form of video and audio surveillance device that law enforcement officers may use to track their interactions with the general population, violent suspects, and their colleagues. A video monitor, a microphone, a charger, and an onboard data retrieval system are the common components of a police...

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Human beings respond accordingly because they know that someone is watching them. When wearing body cameras, police officers will be more polite and less offensive when interacting with neighborhood residents, since they realize they're being observed. The use of bodycams gives greater visibility to police and the city. In addition,...

Words: 3184

The body cam, a short version of body camera, is normally a body-worn surveillance device clipped to the top half of the police uniforms to capture arrests, chases, traffic accidents, searches of someone's house, risks, summonses, crime scenes and general police work. In fact, over the years, bodycams have been a...

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For years, several innocent people have killed or been injured at the hands of corrupt police officers. Many of the officers abuse the authority granted to them by the constitution, harassing and even murdering ordinary people. Aside from that, certain people kill their coworkers in order to silence them or...

Words: 1094

Related topic to Body Camera

Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown welcomes 50 high school volunteers for summer program

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Thursday morning, 50 high school students were welcomed into the Piedmont Columbus Regional’s Youth Volunteer Program.

The Piedmont Auxiliary welcomed each volunteer into its 2024 summer program. During the orientation, students had the opportunity to hear from hospital leadership as well as team members across multiple departments. The goal of the Youth Volunteer Program is to attract and retain students who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare but have never experienced the industry before.

“What we invest in these young people now benefits us for not only the hospital, but our community; we are growing wonderful adults who want to give, are compassionate, and want to share their talents and gifts with others,” said Director of Volunteer Services, Nancy Williams.

Students had to complete an application, essay and interview process before being selected to join the prestigious program, which was started in 1964.

“I just want to gain more knowledge in the healthcare field, and I know there are hundreds of different opportunities out there,” said Youth Volunteer, Terri Owens. “This helps give me an opportunity to experience at least some of them.”

“I’ve been doing this for 34 years, so over those years I have seen many youth volunteers start here in this conference center at 14, 15 years old. Now, they’re taking care of me as an adult - and when I’m a patient, when my family’s a patient – so I am seeing it full circle,” said Williams.

Each student must achieve between 18 and 56 hours of volunteer time, as the program will run from June 3 to July 26. In doing so, they will rotate among different departments across the Midtown and Northside hospital campuses and the John B. Amos Cancer Center.

“We always put the patient first, and if these young folks put the patients first, then all of us are served better,” said Williams. “That’s what I see in these young people now is that level of anticipation of what’s to come.”

Copyright 2024 WTVM. All rights reserved.

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COMMENTS

  1. The Reasons Why Police Officers Should Wear Body Cameras: [Essay

    An article states, "Police body cameras are a good tool for learning and have strong support from members of the public" (Police body Camera: Top 3 Pros and Cons). The use of body cameras can be very beneficial to police departments as far as training officers what to do and what not to do in certain situations.

  2. Body-Worn Cameras: What the Evidence Tells Us

    Video captured by body-worn cameras may help corroborate the facts of the encounter and result in a quicker resolution. Corroborating evidence. Footage captured may also be used as evidence in arrests or prosecutions. Proponents have suggested that video captured by body-worn cameras may help document the occurrence and nature of various types ...

  3. Argumentative Essay: The Use Of Police Body Cameras

    Police Officers Should Wear Body Cameras Essay 582 Words | 3 Pages. Police Brutality is a huge problem in America today, and few steps are being taken to prevent this justice. There are numerous cases where a police officer's motives are put into question, leading to public unrest due to controversy.

  4. Police Body Cameras Essay

    Persuasive Essay On Body Cameras 1082 Words | 5 Pages. A major benefit for having body cams is the fact that it will decrease the force used by Police Officers. For the past couple of years there has been many videos of Police Officers using excessive force against innocent victims, especially with African Americans. "The notion has been ...

  5. Argumentative Essay On Police Body Cameras

    Despite the multiple issues being faced by today's law enforcement officers, "Two-thirds of the police (66%) and an even larger share of the public (93%) favor the use of body cameras by police to record interactions between officers and the public. Half of officers and two-thirds of the public (66%) say a police officer would be more likely ...

  6. Police Body Cameras Essay

    According to an article by The Guardian, body cameras have been worn by police in a town called Rialto, California and it has resulted in better policing. Another article from Daily Mail states that police officers who wear body cameras are "50% less likely to use force and 90% less likely to have complaints made against them.".

  7. Issues of Wearing Body Cameras by Police: Argumentative Essay

    In 2019 alone, 717 people, who may have been breaking the law but nonetheless, lost their life by the hands of a police officer. 992 people were shot and killed by police in 2018. There were only 23 days in 2018 where the police didn't kill anybody. Police should be required to wear body cameras, it should be mandatory.

  8. Persuasive Essay On Body Cameras

    Persuasive Essay On Body Cameras. Decent Essays. 1178 Words. 5 Pages. Open Document. There is an argument that police officers are getting out of hand with handling arrest. The most recent solution to the problem is having every policeman have a body camera, in order to make the police officer feel as if their every movement is being watched.

  9. Why Police Officers Should Wear Body Cameras

    In Most cases the arrest is caught on camera and is beneficial to the police, police department, and citizens to the community. Police wearing body cameras can be very beneficial for accountability for the criminal as well as the police officer. For the accused suspects, there will most likely be a trial date.

  10. Body Cameras Essay

    Body Cameras Essay. The author emphasizes the importance of video footage and the objectivity it offers. Body-cameras not only assist police, but also helped vindicate officers and law-abiding citizens. Brucato explored the cause and effect regarding the absence of police video compared to civilian sousveillance video of past police incidents.

  11. Body Cameras for Police

    Essay Example: Police officers wearing body cameras can provide protection for officers, victims, and accused individuals. Body cameras are compact and portable, and officers wear the camera throughout their shift. They are about the size of a deck of cards and can be mounted to hats, helmets

  12. Essay On Body Cameras

    Essay On Body Cameras. 915 Words4 Pages. Another alternative to decrease police misconduct is through the use of body cameras which would hold officers accountable for their actions. Often, commanding officers exercise little supervision over the daily activities of their officers. Not only do officers patrol alone, but they are authorized to ...

  13. All Police Officers Should Wear a Body Camera

    The consent argument is valid; nonetheless, if all officers will be required to wear body cameras, the public will automatically assume that videos are being taken of them. Thus, the overall awareness of BWCs will prepare both police officers and civilians to be recorded. The other possible argument against the use of body cameras is potential ...

  14. Police Body Cameras Essay

    Police body cameras have remarkably improved the behavior of both the citizen and also the Police Officer on duty. Most people believe that the footage of the body cameras will be accessible to the criminals, who will most likely seek retribution to those who snitch upon them. Nonetheless they are not considering that the information will be ...

  15. Free Essays on Body Camera, Examples, Topics, Outlines

    Essays on Body Camera. Introduction of policy. Body cams and their impact on police misconduct Body cams are widely used by police officers. The cameras are essential for reducing misconduct by police personnel while on the job. The video footage from the cameras aids in comprehending the various processes that the police run into while doing ...

  16. Argumentative Essay On Body Cameras

    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. Get Access. Free Essay: Police Brutality is a big issue in America.

  17. Argumentative Essay On Police Body Cameras

    Police Body Cameras Essay 976 Words | 4 Pages. It justifies the use of police body cameras. On What Can Policymakers Expect of Body-Worn Cameras in Law Enforcement after a Decade of Use? | Urban Institute, the author says, "Police body-worn cameras offer transparency and accountability to the public, which is an attempt to "mend that frayed ...

  18. The Benefits of a Body Camera

    The Benefits of a Body Camera. This essay sample was donated by a student to help the academic community. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. Police Body Worn Cameras or BWC's have been a vigorously talked about point in law requirements over the previous five years.

  19. Police Body Camera Essay

    Police Body Cameras Pros And Cons Essay These devices allow a firsthand look into an incident and give immediate evidence to a case. Heather Ann Myers wrote about a yearlong investigational study of body cameras for law enforcement and said, "The findings suggest more than a 50 percent reduction in the total number of incidents involving use ...

  20. Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown welcomes 50 high school volunteers

    Thursday morning, 50 high school students were welcomed into the Piedmont Columbus Regional's Youth Volunteer Program. Students had to complete an application, essay and interview process before ...