Nowadays, numerous law enforcement agencies have started to recognize the benefits that come with using modern technology, such as body-worn cameras to combat crime. The continuous advancement of technology has encouraged police officers to come up with different strategies to increase public trust. After evaluating the article “American Policing in 2022”, it will become evident how policing strategies, misconduct, and DOJ internal investigations emerge in law enforcement. Moreover, examining “Constitutional Policing as a cornerstone of community policing” is crucial for enumerating the correlation between legal issues and police management. These topics allow a person to grasp a unique outlook on the weaknesses of law enforcement strategies in the United States. After elucidating these topics, the next step will be to relate to them to the recent shooting of Walter Scott in South Carolina in 2015.
American Policing in 2022
Police strategies
Policing in the modern era has seriously evolved from the archaic models where police officers were only required to respond to calls. In current times, more emphasis is being placed on predicting and responding to crime. For that reason, technology has played a crucial role in optimizing the intervention measures of law enforcement agencies. However, “in the hunt of efficiency and efficacy, many big-city police divisions have turned away from the basics of nurturing communal trust through interpersonal relationships” (McCullough & Spence, 2015, p. 8). There have been many controversies regarding the perceptions of police officers to technology. As a result, it has become more difficult for ordinary members of the community to connect with officers patrolling in their neighborhoods. In return, police officers no longer feel a community level of responsibility (McCullough & Spence, 2015, p. 8). Therefore, it is necessary to place more attention in public confidence when implementing policing strategies such as body cameras.
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Misconduct and DOJ Internal investigations
A vast majority of police officers conduct their jobs responsibly with respect to the communities being protected. Nonetheless, there is a large number of police officers who do not act in compliance with the law. The Department of Justice is a body that addresses police misconduct and addresses complaints against police officers who violate criminal and civil statutes. In the United States, internal investigations usually occur following officer shootings. During such events, criminal and internal investigations are prone to happen, but it is also common for law enforcement agencies to hide behind these investigations (McCullough & Spence, 2015, p. 115). In the end, these organizations diminish the findings of internal reviews. Thus, law enforcement should take measures to emulate a process that allows legal bodies to discuss the failings of flawed methods without repercussions (McCullough & Spence, 2015, p. 115). This recommendation applies to internal investigations as well as criminal investigations. All in all, body-worn cameras are useful for reducing misconduct and improving DOJ internal investigations.
Constitutional Policing as a Cornerstone of Community Policing
Behavior and Misconduct
The issue of police behavior and misconduct has been the cause of debate for many years. In essence, it is often quite difficult to distinguish an officer's sworn duty from their self-motivated actions. This theory explains why technological devices such as police body cameras have become so popular. Body-worn cameras reduce the severity of police misconduct, particularly with regards to excessive use of force. 2014 saw a surge in the number of large-scale demonstrations in several states due to police use of force (Police Executive Forum, 2015, p. 18). States such as Missouri, New York, and Cleveland depicted more severe protests than other areas (Police Executive Forum, 2015, p. 18). The idea behind the use of force by law enforcement can be traced to police training. Traditionally, police officers were trained to act as “soldiers” rather than “servants” of the economy (Police Executive Forum, 2015, p. 18). Therefore, the military boot-camp approach to police training has played a vital role in increasing police brutality all over the country.
Police Management
Police work is aligned with a large number of duties and responsibilities for different levels of officers. Thus, this type of work increases the importance of police management in law enforcement. A good management structure allows police agencies to coordinate, control, and direct resources so that personnel can play an active role in protecting the civilian community. In this case, it is important to understand that most police departments place the chief of police at the head of the command hierarchy. As a result, police officers do what their chief tells them to do and engage in activities that the chief values (Police Executive Forum, 2015, p. 4). With that said, police chiefs should acknowledge their roles in creating an organizational culture that encourages community policing and the protection of constitutional rights. Hence, it can be perceived that the chief of police is a strong influence on the department’s acceptance of policing technology.
The Shooting of Walter Scott
The importance of technology in policing can be ascertained after reading about Walter Scott’s shooting in April 2015. In this scenario, Michael Slager, a police officer from North Charleston, shot Scott several times after a brief struggle (Uberti, 2015). According to Slager’s statement, he was chasing a black motorist who ran away on foot from a traffic stop. Subsequently, Slager decided to deploy his taser to keep Walter Scott from running away, but he failed to stop him. Afterward, a brief altercation ensued where Slager and Scott struggled over the taser, which ended with Scott taking control of the taser (Uberti, 2015). Slager feared for his life, so he decided to shoot Scott before he deployed the taser against him. In the end, Slager shot Scott several times and regained control of the situation. Backup officers arrived at the scene and attempted CPR in futility (Uberti, 2015). Without any eyewitnesses, South Carolina’s citizens were forced to accept Slager’s account of the incident.
Despite this captivating narration, a problem emerged when a bystander posted a video on social media which captured the entire event. While Slager's attorney had previously claimed that Scott wrestled the taser from the Slager during a struggle, the video revealed that there was no such altercation (Uberti, 2015). According to the video, Scott slapped several objects from Scott’s hand before he began to run away. Although the video does not reveal what objects fell on the ground, it portrayed Slager drawing his pistol and rapidly firing seven times (Uberti, 2015). After a momentary pause, Slager fired the eighth bullet. Instead of performing CPR on the victim, the recording showed the officer-in-blue planting his taser next to the hand-cuffed victim. Following the new video, Slager was charged with murder, as well as obstruction of justice - owing to his previous statement (Uberti, 2015). In the end, Slager pled guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The video caused a lot of unrest in South Carolina, which compelled the local citizens to question the reliability of law enforcement strategies. Walter Scott's death encouraged the American public to reconsider the importance of introducing policing technology to increase transparency through body-worn cameras. The future success of American policing depends on the capacity to identify weaknesses and develop approaches that strengthen the relations between the community and police officers (McCullough & Spence, 2015, p. 9). Most police officers have rejected this strategy due to concerns of intrusion and violation of privacy. Despite this, the introduction of miniature video systems will play a key role in optimizing law enforcement in the near future. On the whole, body cameras are crucial for increasing the public’s confidence in law enforcement within the United States.
In addition to increasing public trust, body-worn cameras can also mitigate the incidence of misbehavior and police misconduct. On this note, the introduction of body cameras is beneficial in the long-term period since it discourages police misconduct. When an officer understands that he is being filmed, there is a high likelihood that he will comply with standard police protocols. Thus, it can be argued that body cameras can significantly reduce the 'warrior' mentality in police officers. The warrior mentality is a cultural issue within most police departments, which reduces the need for de-escalating the situation while also encouraging the use of force (Police Executive Forum, 2015, p. 18). With that said, police body cameras foster de-escalation rather than violence, thereby reducing brutality and excessive use of force by officers.
On another note, police body cameras tend to increase transparency and accountability in internal investigations cases. Take the case of Walter Scott, without sufficient evidence proving that Slager murdered the victim in cold-blood; there is a high probability of the officer escaping justice. As such, body cameras allow law enforcement to identify severe cases of misconduct. The benefits of body cameras for internal investigations is often seen when officers facing controversial cases are cleared due to video camera evidence. Accordingly, it can be perceived that police body cameras ensure that there are fewer resources devoted to internal investigations (McCullough & Spence, 2015, p. 116). Therefore, the introduction of body cameras is a two-pronged strategy that encourages police officers to act per the law while at the same time, increasing the effectiveness of police accountability.
The management body of police departments needs to evaluate whether body-worn cameras offer more benefits than challenges. In this case, the biggest problem facing body cameras is privacy. Most officers face serious challenges when they consider how to protect the privacy of crime victims and witnesses in video cameras. Also, law enforcement organizations have claimed that body cameras can distract the officers’ attention during volatile situations (Police Executive Forum, 2015, p. 28). Even though there is little evidence supporting these arguments, it is evident that law enforcement is divided on the use of body cameras. Body-cameras are useful instruments for building trust and legitimacy within the community as well as police departments. Considering the case of Walter Scott, police management should create a culture that augments the public’s confidence in police officers.
Conclusion
To sum up, the current law enforcement environment has witnessed an increase in the public’s demand for transparency and accountability. The incident involving Walter Scott reveals that there are glaring weaknesses in the country’s policing strategies. Based on this example, it is easy to see how police officers abuse their powers to commit unlawful acts. The video enumerates little about what the two parties were arguing about nor Slager’s rationale for shooting a black motorist in the back. Nonetheless, the video raises questions about the statement which Slager provided to internal affairs after the incident. Scott’s example is one of many cases that highlight the corruption of policing measures in the country. The best solution for reducing the severity of such cases is body-worn cameras. These devices offer a lot of benefits to law enforcement agencies by reducing misconduct while simultaneously increasing police accountability. In the long-term, body-cameras can strengthen the public’s trust in law enforcement officers who patrol their neighborhoods.
References
McCullough, D. R. C., & Spence, D. L. (Eds.). (2012). American Policing in 2022: Essays on
the Future of a Profession . US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=743254
Police Executive Forum. (2015). Community policing as a cornerstone of community
policing. US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/10914972
Uberti, D. (2015, April 9). How smartphone video changes coverage of police abuse.
Columbia Journalism Review. https://www.cjr.org/analysis/smartphone_video_changes_coverage.php
