Police brutality has been a raging topic ever since the Ferguson case and officers using excessive force can be stopped by using body cameras to see a cops’ every move. In the article, “Body Cameras Will Stop Police Brutality”, the author brings to concern issues of excessive force to subdue a suspect. The author comments, “Having a video record of events not only deters the use of excessive force, but it also helps dispute or demonstrate claims of police brutality” (Body Cameras Will Stop Police Brutality 1). Having a video recording of an event can save a police officer's job or destroy it. By being a cop who follows the rules and does the right thing, an officer will not have to change his or her behaviors and will continue being himself or herself.
When it comes to the time where the officer would have to go and explain to a judge in court if it ever became a case they would have no reason to lie on what happened because it would be on recording. It's always the police word against the public and many times the officer wins the case because they are biased and their word is stronger. So with the video recording it can protect any false accusations, any type of abuse against the officer or the person, and any misconduct. The tape will be able to back up any evidence that is valuable and matches up with the victim in the situations statement.
So many lives could be saved and so many police officers’ careers could be saved through the utilization of this idea and the reaping of its benefits. Whether it captures a citizen attack on a police officer or whether it captures a case of police brutality, the great possibilities outweigh the potential cons of police body cameras and make them a risk worth taking. Whether one takes the side of the citizens and believe the police are typically irrational or one takes the side of the police and believe they are only doing their jobs to the best of their ability, the incorporation of body cameras to the controversial police force would be extremely beneficial for
The reason why officers do not have them on at all times is because they don’t want to be recording very pointless stuff when it’s gonna be wasting the memory of the camera body. Officers turn it on when they are getting off the car or anytime they feel something suspicious is happening. This society is not one that feels protected, but knows when an officer know from right and wrong, many will fight back to have that freedom of speech but it is never really heard from anyone. Officers also know the fact that they are being watched so they can be more careful on how they arrest/ take down a person. This gives a positive point of view to both citizens and police officers.
A police officer involved in an encounter with shooting or in an unusual situation might recall details inaccurately because of the adrenaline in their system during the altercation. Blame cannot be put on the police officers, as this is often done unintentionally. They cannot be expected to remember every detail of a use-of-force situation, and administering body cameras would aid in correcting any inconsistencies. Incorporating body cameras would accurately portray the events that unfolded and clear up any questions or accusations towards the police officers. Additionally, using body cameras will discourage officers from purposefully filing inaccurate reports.
Body cameras on law enforcement officers can by far be one of the best ways to slow down or even stop law enforcement officer’s misconduct in the field by providing a bird’s eye view of the law enforcement officer’s encounters with the public in the community they have sworn to protect. Body cameras can be a deterrent and possibly make law enforcement officers and the citizens think very hard before acting in an inappropriate manner because they know they are being recorded and these recording can be used as evidence in a court of
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 around for a while. But since August 's fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri -- for which witness accounts varied widely -- it 's gained traction to become part of the national conversation about police conduct.” (Brandon Griggs 1)
From interactions on the street to testifying in open court, an officer’s word is everything. Once that credibility is gone it is almost impossible for that officer to continue in a law enforcement capacity. Body cameras have emerged as a potential solution to the evolving discussion around police trust and legitimacy issues. One benefit of having a body camera is that if a critical incident, officer involved shooting, or accusation of brutality arises, the camera will provide footage from the officer’s point of view that
The Effectiveness of Police Body Cameras Since the shooting of Michael Brown in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, police violence has brought about the idea of police body cameras. (Ferguson unrest: From shooting to nationwide protests) Body cameras are small cameras that clip on to an officer 's uniform or are worn as a headset, and record audio and video of the officer 's interactions with the public. (Toliver, Equipment and Technology Research on Body-Worn Cameras and Law Enforcement) This means that all actions between police officers and surrounding people are recorded as they happen.
The use of previous videos can be detrimental to new cops because it can teach them how to deal with many different situations correctly that way they don’t put their career in jeopardy or the lives of their partners in danger. Everyone knows that there is always three sides to a story: what one individual says happens, what the other individual says happened, and what happened. With the execution of body-worn cameras, it would eliminate, the reduction seen in complaints filed and sustained against officers and videos can reduce the need for lengthy
Having a body camera recording all the time would not be very practical, but it would still capture everything that the officer does; holding them responsible for everything they do. Some could argue that there would have to be some instances where officers could turn the cameras off, but if the officers would be allowed to turn the cameras off they could get away with dreadful deeds. Body cameras could also be seen as an invasion of privacy, but nothing a police officer does while on the job should be private. As well as everyday behavior, the cameras would catch footage of defendants being arrested. The defendants may not wish to be recorded during these moments, but if they did not wish to be recorded they should not have committed a crime.
Opponents of having all police officers wear body cameras cite privacy concerns, especially if the video recordings are made part of the public record. As stated in Source 3 “The Right Body Camera Policy” it states that “the critic’s main objection to the policy is that it will promote dishonest reporting.” For example, Officers that is feared , will tailor their reports to fit the captured images, revealing only what could not be plausibly denied and leaving out other important details. Even when the video footage reveals unambiguous misconduct, officers would be foolish to file dishonest reports. It's important to consider the detrimental consequences of depriving police officers of video that contains information directly pertinent to their fate.
Although officers claim they aren’t as unprofessional as everyone says, many people beg to differ. A lot of people have evidence on how they were mistreated, and how the officers weren’t at all professional. Others have been killed and seriously injured, but the idea is still up in the air after several years. To protect themselves, and others around them, police officers should be forced to wear body cameras while they’re in a case or are talking to a suspect while on duty. Having to wear body cameras would be a positive way to help the authorities to see the truth better than just having to listen to the voice recorder.
First, they shouldn’t wear body cameras because it raises high privacy concerns. For example, “Recordings raise high privacy concerns. In some states, anyone can access the video.” (Should Police Wear Body Cameras, pg.23) Also, “Study Reveals Police Officer Are More Likely To Be Assaulted.”
Well, having body cameras as part of an officer’s uniform has its pros and cons. 1.The pros about body cameras are that it can prevent violence. A 2013 University of Cambridge study found that when police wear body cameras, both police and respondents are less likely to use violence. The study indicated a drop in use of force by more than a 50 percent. Body cameras could thus make the streets safer for both officers and the general public (Baum, E.,2015).