Should Police Officers Use Body Cameras Necessary?

Although the conduct of police officers and the validity of the video evidence will be highly scrutinized, body cameras are necessary because police brutality and falsified reports would be diminished. Malcom X stated “If someone puts their hands on you make sure they never put their hands on anybody else again.” In my personal opinion, I feel the police officers would be held in check due to their knowing that they are constantly being monitored. First I will state by explaining why cameras are considered an unbiased resource. With the use of body cameras, you see what the officers see. You can view the layout of the area as the officer arrives on scene. You will also have the ability to view the actions of a potential victim before an altercation, assault, or a shooting.

If body cameras ever become a standard across the police force, many lawyers will attempt to discredit them in any way. Also in some of those trails were a police officer is questioned about his conduct ever past situation will get scrutinized. “When a police officer is accused of something will lawyers have the right to subpoena years of camera footage looking for anything problematic” (Tabarrok 2015)? Could you imagine if this system was in place around the O.J. Simpson trial? Next, I will talk about cases that have been solved with the use of cameras. According to Amalcar Scott (2015), Eric Garner was a man who was a victim of frequent harassment. He was placed under arrest for selling loose cigarettes. Four officers wrestle him to the ground. According to the policemen they never used a choke hold on the victim but the video showed something different. While Garner was penned to the ground, he screams, “I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.” Those words where his final words. There are always two sides to every story and then there is the truth. The body cameras will tell the