Argumentative Essay-If Only I Have A Camera

If Only I Had a Camera “Drunk driving suspect James Duckworth was handcuffed and cooperative when officer Charles Broaderick slammed his head into the wall. Duckworth was bleeding and barely conscious as the abuse continued: Broaderick even tried to wrap a plastic bag around the victim’s head.” (The Daily Caller) After endless reports of police brutality, the idea of body cameras is being highly considered, and already used in police departments nationwide. The plan is to attach a small camera onto all police uniforms, that records their interactions with citizens. The point is to have proof of what took place. In a situation where an officer is mistreating someone, they would be recorded, then possibly reprimanded, or may not have mistreated them in the first place. Many

Despite the fact that body cameras may be a privacy invasion, police officers across the United States should be required to wear a camera on their uniforms because they can prove what really happened, both cops and citizens are more polite when recorded, and the footage protects

The biggest argument against them is that it is a privacy invasion. People believe recording citizens at their most vulnerable moments is disrespectful. To argue against that, Deputy Smith believes “it’s more important to record what happened instead of protect identity and keep private.” Another important argument against body cameras, is the expense. The small, lipstick sized portable devices “range in price from $399-$599 per unit” (Rasmussen College) The cost to supply every officer with a camera would be ridiculously expensive. There would be other costs as well, such as storage and maintenance. The expense of the cameras is a smaller issue than police brutality and the lack of evidence. Overall, body-worn cameras are a great investment and the benefits outweigh the negative issues with the