Body-worn Cameras: The Pros and Cons

Application of force by police when handling members of the public, mainly if the power is excessive, has a long-term effect on police public perception. The impact usually extends to police-community relations. The study reports result from the first experiment to investigate body-worn-camera effects on force applications and complaints against police officers. According to the collected evidence, police-body-worn cameras minimize the incidences of force application by police officers, alongside the prevalence of complaints about police from the public. It is, however, stated clearly in the study that a final decision should not be made based on the available evidence ( Ariel, Farrar & Sutherland, 2015 ). Implementation of body-worn-cameras policy for police officers should only happen after further research by police forces, researchers, and the government to assess the issue of the use of force and molestation by police officers from different points of view. The primary task of police officers is usually making members of the public feel safe. A police force is therefore considered one of the most critical institutions in the community that enables the realization of the essential self-governing values of security, justice, freedom, and safety. However, the occurrence of incidents such as police brutality makes the public to question the above vital assumptions. As one of the elements to sanitize the police force and regain the respect it once had from the people, the police force can implement the use of body cameras to supervise all the activities of the police officers. The implementation of body cameras for police officers can result in several positive impacts. For instance, the adoption can lead to the de-escalation of anti-social characteristics, fast skill improvement as a result of constant evaluation, and a reduced number of assaults on officers. The cameras can also minimize criminal justice expenditure through increased guilty pleas on camera. Body-worn cameras will help in keeping the police and the individuals they deal with accountable for their actions. An officer will restrain from using excessive force when engaging the public if they are wearing the BWCs to avoid the possible penalties. The behavior of people will also automatically change when dealing with police officers sine the cameras to collect evidence that can be used against them in a trial. I strongly support the opinion that body-worn cameras will reduce criticism about police brutality. However, I will strongly argue against any claim that the police brutality problem can be solved entirely with the implementation of body-worn cameras for police officers. The cameras have led to a shift of brutality from the police to the public. Most police officers that present themselves with BWCs reported that they experience assault from the public, who know that the police officers are restricted from becoming violent, and their actions are being watched. Power to turn the cameras off and on at own pleasure can also lead to increased use of force by officers to compensate for their lenience on camera. The main criticism identified in the case study was the use of excessive force by police officers when dealing with the public. Whether justified or not, exercising extreme power by police offers automatically destroy the relationship between the community and not only the specific police officer but the entire force. Misconduct of police officers translates into complaints from the public, a factor that leads to high social and economic costs ( Ariel, Farrar & Sutherland, 2015 ). Therefore, measures should be implemented, including the body-worn cameras and education programs to teach public relations, to prevent the existence of a weak relationship between police officers and the public. 

Reference 

Ariel, B., Farrar, W. A., & Sutherland, A. (2015). The effect of police body-worn cameras on use of force and citizens’ complaints against the police: A randomized controlled trial.  Journal of quantitative criminology ,  31 (3), 509-535.