Persuasive Essay: The Importance Of Body Cameras

Improved Essays
Christepher Thomas
Ms. Upson
English 363
10 May 2016
Enforcing the Laws through Body Cameras
There has been many incidents involving police using excessive force. According to Nick Wing, the senior editor for Huffington Post,states, more than half of the incidents using superfluous force had dropped over the year when using body cameras (1). Implementing body cameras can change how the world is today. Police officers should be required to wear body cameras because it will create equal opportunities for everyone, create a safer environment, and police officers cannot show racial bias towards anyone.
Those who oppose body cameras say they are too expensive when buying it for every police officer on duty. Many citizens worry that the U.S. will spend too much money to update technology. They believe that in a futuristic perspective, it will not be ultimately worth it. According to Police Think Tank Analysis Advantages and Costs of Body camera Use, body cameras range in price from $120 to $2,000. The agencies have to pay for storage, training, and the programs for lifelong (“Police Think” 1). They fear that spending an abundant amount of money to purchase body cameras will have no significance or an overall positive impact on the society. Besides the fact that it costs a lot of money to buy body cameras as well as implementing them. There are many other expenses that the law enforcement organization has to deal with such as training individuals, buying storage to place data in a safe place, as well as programs that assist these officers on a daily basis. Brian Bakst and Ryan J. Foley, a journalist for Associated Press for New york, it would cost $267,000 for a five year deal for 1,000 cameras. Additionally, it will cost $3.6 million for storage and maintenance (Bakst and Foley 3). Some people say it is not worth spending this much money when there is no guarantee if it will help. It is very expensive for every police officer to obtain body cameras, and furthermore maintain it. Police department would have to pay this enormous amount which some say can be put into better use. However, body cameras should be required since it would be transparent; human beings can see what actually occurred from a naked eye when watching the recordings. Professionals argue that people should receive punishments for the actions they take. Body cameras can give clear evidence when situations occur. A veteran journalist, Peter Katel, who served as Latin America bureau chief for the Time magazine claims, a Wall Street Journal investigation discovered about 30% dead bodies missing when looking at the total deaths that were recorded (2). There are many legal cases that remain unsolved and a mystery due to that fact that there is no clear evidence of what exactly happened. Another example that has been widely known in my community is of Pravin Varughese who passed last year. He was 20 year old Southern Illinois University student who was found dead in the woods. The
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Taking this one step at a time can reduce the amount of altercations and complaints from both sides of a legal situation. In addition, it would lead to the potential decrease of racial profiling since body cameras will force police officers to follow the rules and regulations when questioning an individual. It is important, for both citizens and police officers to put this law in the books to create a safer and more positive environment for the future of our society. If police officers wear body cameras it will allow citizens to walk around their neighborhood regardless of the time without being worried. If this this happens it will allow americans to be happier. If the citizens become happy, the United States does not have to worry about unnecessary problems of an individual using excessive power. If the goal is to allow equality and a safer environment, this is the perfect solution. When putting body cameras in effect, it will have a positive chain reaction. Ultimately, this change can not only help the people of our world, but lead to more changes that create a secure and safe atmosphere. Most importantly, citizens living in poverty and the rich will receive equal

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