Modern technology has enabled each officer to put on a miniature camera which produces digital video recordings of the citizens’ interactions (Community Oriented Policing Services & U.S Department of Justice, 2014). Body-worn cameras can give an accurate record of police interactions with citizens and encourage cautious behavior that can prevent unfortunate incidents from taking place. The body cameras could also assist to de-escalate heated situations. For instance, a police department based in Rialto, California equipped 27 out of its 54 officers with cameras, and this led to a decrease in police complaints by 88 percent. Therefore, the public would be kept safe through the use of the cameras because they will boost accountability for citizens and law enforcement.
One advantage of body cameras is that the captured video footage can assist to speed up court proceeding by giving indisputable proof of various situations. As a result, court expenses can be reduced because of the increase pre-trial plea negotiations or increased convictions rates. In addition, the cameras will help protect any misconduct, abuse, or false accusations against police officers. However, on the downside, the body cameras could raise issues of privacy for both civilians and officers. In addition, technological issues may arise, and this could prevent proper functioning …show more content…
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White, D. M. (2014). Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras: Assessing the