The recent deaths of Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, and Laquan McDonald by the hands of police officers have brought about many demonstration, riots and protest against police violence, racial profiling and the injustice of police officers not being charged for their actions, except in the case of Laquan McDonald. In the case Michael Brown it would have been known whether his death was truly a justifiable act or if he unlawfully killed an innocent boy. If Officer Darren Wilson was wearing a body camera we would have known the truth of what really happen that day. All of the protest, arrest, and destruction that came from the death of Michael Brown could have been avoided if police body cameras were implemented at that time. A similar scenario
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There was a bill, SB 175 that would have required each department or agency that employs peace officers and that elects to require those peace officers to wear body-worn cameras to develop a policy relating to the use of body-worn cameras, had it passed, but it failed. AB 66 would have imposed some requirements and guidelines for agencies whose officers use body cameras, this bill did not pass either. One bill that is currently on the floor is AB 69 is another bill regarding police body cameras that states “law enforcement agencies to consider specified best practices when establishing policies" for body cameras.” It is unfortunate that these bills did not pass, they had to the potential to set standards and policies on how to use them, when and who can obtain the film and many other factors that come with implementing police body cameras. With the growth in use of police body cameras and an effort to create legislation on the policies of body cameras use the country is headed in the right direction, but there is still much more work to be done and many things to improve …show more content…
When looking at the larger scope, outside of scholarly journals, we find the vast impact police body cameras have on the community and the role it plays in strengthening the relationship between the public and police departments. Social theories and deterrence appears to be why body cameras have an impact on police officers and citizens. As a country we have seemed to understand the importance of police body cameras. Use of police body cameras has become more widespread, in part because of President Obama’s proposal to invest $75 million over three years to purchase 50,000 body-worn cameras for law enforcement agencies. Aside from implementing more police body cameras, police departments need to do a better job of creating standards, policy and regulations regarding the use and access of body cameras. This will help to avoid conflict and corruption within the department and help build trust from the
There was a bill, SB 175 that would have required each department or agency that employs peace officers and that elects to require those peace officers to wear body-worn cameras to develop a policy relating to the use of body-worn cameras, had it passed, but it failed. AB 66 would have imposed some requirements and guidelines for agencies whose officers use body cameras, this bill did not pass either. One bill that is currently on the floor is AB 69 is another bill regarding police body cameras that states “law enforcement agencies to consider specified best practices when establishing policies" for body cameras.” It is unfortunate that these bills did not pass, they had to the potential to set standards and policies on how to use them, when and who can obtain the film and many other factors that come with implementing police body cameras. With the growth in use of police body cameras and an effort to create legislation on the policies of body cameras use the country is headed in the right direction, but there is still much more work to be done and many things to improve …show more content…
When looking at the larger scope, outside of scholarly journals, we find the vast impact police body cameras have on the community and the role it plays in strengthening the relationship between the public and police departments. Social theories and deterrence appears to be why body cameras have an impact on police officers and citizens. As a country we have seemed to understand the importance of police body cameras. Use of police body cameras has become more widespread, in part because of President Obama’s proposal to invest $75 million over three years to purchase 50,000 body-worn cameras for law enforcement agencies. Aside from implementing more police body cameras, police departments need to do a better job of creating standards, policy and regulations regarding the use and access of body cameras. This will help to avoid conflict and corruption within the department and help build trust from the