The question of whether law enforcement officers should be required to wear body cameras during their shifts has been widely discussed. In recent years, cases of police brutality have made headlines. The use of body cameras by police officers would protect the officer and the civilians involved in everyday encounters and could provide clear evidence of any misconduct or criminal activity involved in the interaction. This would increase the trust between the police and the community.
There are many pros and cons associated with police officers being forced to wear cameras while on duty. Many people believe that the pros for this practice outweigh any potential cons. “During the first year after the cams were introduced, the use of force by …show more content…
The likelihood of unnecessary abuse or misconduct on an officer or a civilian is greatly reduced when these encounters are recorded.
One of the biggest cons against using body cameras includes invading the privacy of officers and civilians. According to Jay Stanley (2015), “Body cameras have more of a potential to invade privacy than those deployments. Police officers enter people's homes and encounter bystanders, suspects, and victims in a wide variety of sometimes stressful and extreme situations” (Stanley, 2015). Technology can fail at times and batteries in the cameras could potentially die. Also, the body cameras are costly to purchase and to maintain.
EInvestigator (2015) explains “Officers are required to wear the cameras throughout their shift. The batteries last for approximately 12 ½ hours. The devices are capable of recording high quality video, even in situations where light is compromised such as in dark, interior spaces or at night. A single camera can cost as much as $1,200 per unit with additional costs associated with maintenance, data storage and retrieval” (EInvestigator, 2015). Providing every law enforcement officer with a body camera is quite
There are many pros and cons associated with police officers being forced to wear cameras while on duty. Many people believe that the pros for this practice outweigh any potential cons. “During the first year after the cams were introduced, the use of force by …show more content…
The likelihood of unnecessary abuse or misconduct on an officer or a civilian is greatly reduced when these encounters are recorded.
One of the biggest cons against using body cameras includes invading the privacy of officers and civilians. According to Jay Stanley (2015), “Body cameras have more of a potential to invade privacy than those deployments. Police officers enter people's homes and encounter bystanders, suspects, and victims in a wide variety of sometimes stressful and extreme situations” (Stanley, 2015). Technology can fail at times and batteries in the cameras could potentially die. Also, the body cameras are costly to purchase and to maintain.
EInvestigator (2015) explains “Officers are required to wear the cameras throughout their shift. The batteries last for approximately 12 ½ hours. The devices are capable of recording high quality video, even in situations where light is compromised such as in dark, interior spaces or at night. A single camera can cost as much as $1,200 per unit with additional costs associated with maintenance, data storage and retrieval” (EInvestigator, 2015). Providing every law enforcement officer with a body camera is quite