It is virtually impossible nowadays for a person to watch the news without a new headline popping up that involves a police officer and an unarmed person who is shot and killed out of “self defense.” The increase in the number of deaths by law enforcement has sparked controversy throughout the United States, and has changed the way a majority of the public views “lawful” and “justified” police force. Because of the rising death rate, body-mounted police cameras have been the talk of the nation. Recently, the issue became so apparent that President Obama issued a proposal for 263 million dollars to be put toward new police training and body cameras throughout the country (Feeney). Various people believe that if officers were required to wear body cameras, fewer deaths would occur and more police officers would be held accountable for their actions. Police brutality has reached an all time high throughout the nation within the last few years. Although body cameras may seem like an invasion of privacy, the increase in violence within law enforcement has proven that police officers should have to wear body cameras at all times. There have been hundreds of cases that have occurred within the last seven years that could have easily been solved, and maybe even avoided if police officers were required to wear body cameras. One very famous case of unnecessary police violence was between Oscar Grant III and Officer Johannes Sebastian Mehserle. On January 1st, 2009, Officer Mehserle shot and killed Grant after arresting him for a fight that occurred on a train at Fruitvale Station in Oakland, California (Johnson). “Video of the incident showed Mehserle raising his gun while Anthony Pirone, another BART officer, had his knee on Grant’s head, pressing it against the train platform” (Johnson). The gruesome video shows Grant being helplessly shot in the back, leaving bystanders shocked and bewildered. “Mehserle was convicted in July of involuntary man slaughter – the lightest verdict short of an acquittal” (LA Law). Another heartbreaking case of an obvious abuse of power occurred on November 19th, 2011 in White Plains, New York between 68-year-old retired Marine Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. and White Plains Police Officer Anthony Carelli. Early one morning, Chamberlain accidentally pressed his Life Aid alarm while sleeping, which signaled the White Plains Police Officers who showed up at his apartment. The entire incident was audio recorded by Chamberlain’s Life Aid alarm. Police officers were banging on the door while Chamberlain pleaded with them to go away and repeatedly told them that he was all right. “Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. said to the police, ‘I’m a sick old man.’ One of the police officers replied, ‘we don’t give a f*ck, n*gger!’” The officers were finally able to enter the apartment, and when they did, they fired the Taser at him, even though he was weaponless with his hands to his sides, and then shot him twice a few minutes later; no officers were charged ("Police Shouted Racial Slurs”). Perhaps the most famous case of police brutality is the incident between Michael Brown and Officer Wilson that took place in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown was walking to his grandmothers, when Wilson approached him and Dorian Johnson for jaywalking. In the police statement, it is said that Brown pushed Wilson’s patrol door shut as he
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They offer “an unbiased accurate record [of] what transpired” (Sommers 1312), and provide “transparency and a way to restore public trust in the police” (Sommers 1311). “The value of body cameras is that we’re able to see what the police are doing for once” (Bakst); this quote gives an idea of why so many Americans support the new body camera “wave,” and feel that the cameras “provide a check and balance against police power” (Stanley). Bill Bratton, the New York Police Department Police Commissioner, stated that during their pilot program “knowing [they] were being recorded affected [the officers] behavior in a good way,” and believes that “he or she felt like it was an additional protection for them” (Bruinius). Because of the improved behavior and increase in transparency during the pilot program, fewer complaints surfaced and “helped shed a light on ‘he said, she said’-like controversies”
They offer “an unbiased accurate record [of] what transpired” (Sommers 1312), and provide “transparency and a way to restore public trust in the police” (Sommers 1311). “The value of body cameras is that we’re able to see what the police are doing for once” (Bakst); this quote gives an idea of why so many Americans support the new body camera “wave,” and feel that the cameras “provide a check and balance against police power” (Stanley). Bill Bratton, the New York Police Department Police Commissioner, stated that during their pilot program “knowing [they] were being recorded affected [the officers] behavior in a good way,” and believes that “he or she felt like it was an additional protection for them” (Bruinius). Because of the improved behavior and increase in transparency during the pilot program, fewer complaints surfaced and “helped shed a light on ‘he said, she said’-like controversies”