Body Cameras Essay

The use of body cameras in law enforcement is an affective and useful addition to everyday equipment . Body cameras provide hard evidence, benefit officers and citezens, increase transparency and accountablity of officers, and improve overall behavior for both parties. Body cameras are wearable cameras used by law enforcement to record interactions that they make while on duty. Departments have been using body cameras for a while, but due to recent incedents more departments are putting them to use.

The use of body cameras has greatly improved the collection of evidence, whether it be used in court to back up an officer or the public. Overall body cameras help paint a picture of what really happened, this protects against any false accusations,

misconduct, or abuse against officers and the public. According to principle investigator Wesley Jennings to the Florida-based Saint Petersblog,”They [officers] also said that the cameras improved evidence collection, recollection of events, and helped minimize errors in reports.” (“Police body cameras: a win-win”)This gives insight from law enforcement officers on how body cameras have helped with evidence collection. The use of body cameras by the law enforement, overall makes their job easier. Body cameras show the actions of officers in high intensity situations,this in turn shows whether or not the actions the officers took were warrented. High intensity situations can affect an officers judgement, meaning the actions they take go back to the way they were trained, which in the long run may be use of force. Body cameras helps to find truly bad officers quicker. The body cameras provide indisputable evidence, which can be used against officers who acted unlawfully. Body cameras are not only useful for officers and citizen but also in court. The indsputable evidence provided by cameras can help speed up court proceedings. This can lead to a reduction in court expenses, due to an increase in pre-trial plea bargins. The cameras also help find valuable witness and victim statements.

Body cameras benefit law enforcement officers and the public as well.

Cameras ensure that law enforcement officers act in a manner befitting their situation. This prevents officers from acting incorrectly in a given situation, which protects the public from any misconduct by the police. A study conducted by the University of South Florida showed a significant reduction in the number of civilian injuries by officers wearing the cameras, and the injuries to officers themselves. (Huffington Post) This shows how the body cameras were able to protect both citizens and officers from injury. Body cameras make finding truly bad officers easier due to solid evidence, reducing tenions and making the jobs of good officers easier. As a result, the job of policing becomes less dangerous, both from the perspective of anti-police violence and legal liabiility. This causes officers to be more judicious about use of force.Transparency is essential for trust between law enforcement and the public. Body cameras help increase transparency and accountablity of officers. The cameras help reduce police use of force and complaints against officers. This enhamces police legitamacy and transparency. The cameras give insight to what officers do everyday, thus creating a window between departments and its citizens. Body cameras provide an additional eye witness to situations they encounter. This omproves officer accountability, as the cameras make sure officers are policing fairly and

judicially.

Body cameras improve behavior amongst officers and the public. The necessity to record every interation with residents is bound to minimize complaints about officer behahior and the unnecessary used of force. Both officers and citizens may tend to be restrained, knowing that their words and actions are being captured. Researchers at the University of South Florida released a report on a yearlong study at the Orlando Police Department, where 46 officers were outfitted with cameras, from March 2014 to February 2015. The study showed a 53 percent reduction in use of force incidents, and a 65 percent decline in civilian complaints. The study provides information on how the cameras impact officer and citizen behavior. The cameras also helped offices self-evaluate and find ways to improve how they handle a situation. Another study performed by the Rialto Police Department in California found that body cameras led to a 87.5 percent decrease in officer complaints, as well as 59 percent reduction in use of force in the course of a year. Futhermore supporting body cameras and how they improve behavior.