What Are The Pros And Cons Of Body Cameras

Body cameras also provide footage needed for evaluations so that police officers can improve their maneuvers. Since police officers do not get followed around by a supervisor during their shifts, they may not be aware if they are not performing their jobs correctly and efficiently or using improper technique. It is difficult to improve without evaluations, and difficult to evaluate without having visual evidence of how an officer performs. Lieutenant John Carli from Vacaville, California uses body camera footage to evaluate police officers and give them constructive feedback, which works in improving their performance quality (“Implementing Body…”). When officers take note of what they are doing well and what they can improve on, they will focus on fixing those areas during their shifts. When officers use correct technique and judgment, the safety and trust within a community between officers and residents blooms.
Many U.S. citizens believe do not decrease police brutality because police who have been recorded killing a civilians were not penalized. Justin Hansford of the Washington Post refers to a New York case where …show more content…
Although this is true, the evidence that has been captured by body cameras has provided more useful evidence than simple statements, such as in the cases that were formerly discussed. Also, as body cameras become more popular, states’ new bills are requiring officers to turn the cameras on before all encounters or else there will be consequences for not following department standards (Scheck). Police departments are also expected to go through several weeks of training to learn how to use body cameras as they become more common (Dann and Rafferty). Information training programs and new privacy laws help to ensure that body cameras will be used as correctly as possible to capture the most accurate and helpful footage while protecting