Body Camera Essay

As a further result of the strained relationship between law enforcement and the general population debate about the potential use of police worn body camera’s erupted not only in the United States but across the globe including

Across the country a growing number of legislative departments have been debating about the pros and cons of police body cameras. This paper will further explore benefits, as well as the downfalls of using such devices. This paper will also look at specific cases and examine whether or not body cameras were helpful in various situations. It will examine if they were a deterrent in cases dealing with police brutality and domestic violence. It also looks at how they could be misused and assisting some officers in covering up their corrupt behavior.

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.

Does the body camera decline police brutality? Are body cameras more effective in urban or rural areas? Could these cameras decline corruption in policing? These are a few of countless questions that might be brought up about this newly relevant issue. Without even undertaking exploration on this subject you could question a sample of individuals these burning questions. I think that they would agree that it is a necessary evil when dealing with criminals. It’s logical to assume that your every move is being documented and you are theoretically always being “watched”, in saying that one will in turn do their career to the best of their capabilities. Its elementary science that the independent variable being the camera. The dependent variable is the logged evidence which is

There are three main points supporters argue in this debate of why police should be mandated to wear body cameras. First, supporters state that police body cameras can help solve police brutality. The first police department in the United States to implement police body cameras was in Rialto, California, and according to Al Jazeera America, "The department saw an 88 percent decline in complaints against officers and use of force incidents plummeted to 60 percent" (Demetrius and Okwu 2). These supporters think if we were to implement police body cameras for all police departments in the United States, then these effects on police brutality could be attained nationwide. Second, supporters believe that body cameras will punish corrupt police

For years and years, there have been many cases that police officers use unnecessary force on citizens. Citizens have reported the incidents, taken the incidents to court, and as well as people starting protests because of this. Instead of people feeling safe that the police is around people fear them. There has been a solution that involves police officers now having to be required wear body cameras. The use of body cameras on officers will reduce the use of force and will reduce dishonesty on incident reports; however, officers should not wear body cameras as it is an invasion of their privacy.

The national media firestorm has created an immense amount of public interest regarding body cameras. In the wake of numerous publicized police shootings of civilian suspects, the public outcry resulted in police officers in several cities to wear body cameras. These cameras record the actions of police officers as they respond to 911 calls and conduct traffic stops. One of these cities is Chicago. The Chicago police department began using body cameras at the beginning of 2015 in the Northwest Side Shakespeare District. There are now 2,000 body cameras spread across about a third of the city's police sectors. It was recently announced that the police departments would expand their use.

A shot rings out in the night and soon after, there is a body in the streets. Within days there are multiple eye witnesses on the news, protests in the streets and silence from official sources. This has become an all too common occurrence today in regards to police where the public outcry after deadly force incident can go out of control before officials have had a chance to review the facts. Nearly 1,000 people were killed by police in 2016, with 2017 on pace to top that (Washington Post). One of the most publicly sought after improvements, as there are few answers, to his situation is the mandatory use of body cameras by law enforcement officials. In theory, body cameras would preserve a public record of at least

. Police and Body Cameras Recently, there has been many arguments whether police should use body cameras as a part of their standard uniform. There are reasons on why the police should wear body cameras, while there are also numerous reasons on why they would not be useful. Obviously, there are some advantages to wearing body cameras.

There has been a rise in police brutality cases across the United States, lawmakers and law-enforcement officials should require all on duty officers to start wearing body-cameras during their shift. It seems like every time your turn on your local news channel they are broadcasting incidents of police brutality almost on a daily basis. Many citizens and lawmakers believe that a stance needs to be made, and many people feel that all on-duty officers should have to wear body-cameras during their shift in order to reduce the number of police relate incidents. Some local jurisdictions have passed laws to start using police body cameras with the hope that this will start to gain back the trust to the community that was lost due to the actions of

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).

Do you think cops do their job the right way? Do you think cops could do their job better? In recent years more and more police brutalities have occurred from the death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, FL on 2012 to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO on 2014. Many people now do not respect or trust the cops anymore because of the way that cops have been doing their job. What is one way that the cops can gain the respect of the people again. What is one tool that could help capture what a cop does on duty. Body cameras on cops should be enforced in America because the camera can prove which person is innocent and which person is guilty in a court of law, body cameras offer a safer community, and it keeps the cop accountable of the

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

Due to the events in Ferguson Missouri that happened on August 9th 2014, a new controversy has swept the nation. The question seems to be, should American police officers be required to wear body cameras? A petition was started on the website “We the People” to instate a new law, called the "Mike Brown Law", that requires all police officers to wear body cameras. The petition has acquired over 150,000 signatures and a good deal of news coverage. If this law were to be put into fruition, it will help restore citizens’ faith in the police force. For another thing, citizens would no longer have to worry about the police using unnecessary force. On the other hand, this is not a punishment for police. It will also be helpful for the police when

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.