Body Cameras Improve Police Accountability Essay - 1469 Words

What is a body worn video? A body worn video, also known as body camera is a video recording system that is typically utilized by law enforcement to record their interactions with the public or gather video evidence at crime scenes, and have been known to increase both officer and citizen accountability. The idea is that a video camera mounted on an officer s vest or uniform would provide an accurate, objective account of every encounter with a civilian. Ideally, the camera would discourage police misconduct while protecting officers against unfounded civil complaints of brutality or corruption. While the use of body cameras may seem to invade the privacy of officers and the public, officers should wear body cameras because playing body cameras could improve, accountability, behavior, use of force, evidence, and processing and editing. Starting with accountability, very one’s action should be justified, however that is not always the case. Shira A. Scheindlin in the article Will the widespread use of body cameras improve police accountability? She states, â€Å"The judge found that all five officers had lied and engaged in â€Å"outrageous conduct† She called it a conspiracy to lie, and suppressed both the arrest and the fruit of the search.† ( ) Without the video the judge would not have proof the five officers lied under oath while the guy caught with a pound of marijuana had told the truth. Although there has been a recent media attention there is little to no research onShow MoreRelatedBeing A Police Officer Is A Daunting Task1108 Words   |  5 PagesBeing a police officer is a daunting task. The constant struggle between protecting life and property and maintaining order, all while acquiring the public’s trust. The implication of use of force, police brutality, misconduct, or rac ial profiling all undermine the public’s trust. In order to improve the morale of the officers of these so called allegations, the use of body worn cameras are initiated in hopes of rebuilding the officer’s accountability and credibility. Body worn cameras are usedRead MorePolice Brutality And The Police1585 Words   |  7 PagesPolice brutality and office involved shootings have sparked national debate and created a strain between police officers and citizens. Recently, there have been more home videos that display acts of aggression by police officers. These police officers often use excessive forces or a condescending tone towards people of color which is why there needs to be a better way to mend police and civilian relationship. People should be able to trust the police in their communities rather than fear them. PoliceRead MoreThe Issue Of Police Brutality1579 Words   |  7 Pagesenforcement officers. However, police brutality has been a social issue in the United States for quite some time now and is only rapidly getting worse rather than improving. With the news channels and social media exploiting videos of law enforcement officers using forceful tactics but not showing the prior encounters of the individual, it suggests the officer is unjustifiably using force. However, with the epidemic of citizen outrage by the misconception of police misconduct, it has the public demandingRead MorePolice Accountability And Excessive Force866 Words   |  4 PagesCops and Cameras In the recent wake of the death of Michael Brown, an eighteen-year-old, who was shot by Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson, the topic of police accountability and excess force have been heavily discussed. Among those discussions a reoccurring question has been asked â€Å"Should police officers wear body cameras†? While some view this as a violation of privacy, many agree that they law enforcement should be equipped with body cameras. Law enforcement should wear body camerasRead MoreThe Surveillance Of Law Enforcement Officers1439 Words   |  6 Pagesevidence to support their case on the degree of force they used during the incident in question. One of the majorly used and promoted reforms is the use of body worn cameras on all officers during their shift. Research and studies have promoted this technique as it offers many advantages to help resolve the issues faced. Body worn cameras provide agencies with video footage of all occurrences as if through the o fficers’ perspective, giving accurate and reliable information rather than the officer’sRead MoreThe Use Of Excessive Force By The Police, Particularly1351 Words   |  6 PagesThe use of excessive force by the police, particularly in the Unites States has been under much scrutiny and criticism. The implementation of police worn body cameras were introduced as a way to not only improve the safety of the police officers but most importantly to make them accountable for their own misconduct. The presence of a body cam worn by police either during an altercation or on duty, in theory should mean that there would be less of a likelihood of an officer committing any form ofRead MoreThe Importance Of Police Body Cameras On The Police Force1497 Words   |  6 PagesThis past May (2015), due to recent tense police-community relations, the Obama administration initiated a government program to evaluate the effectiveness of having the police force wear body cameras. The ver y public incidents that have occurred ignited accusations of police brutality and as a result, the call for police body cameras is one government action in response to these accusations. The theory being that all people, even those in official capacities, behave differently when they knowRead MoreShould Police Officers Wear Body Cameras?1277 Words   |  6 PagesShould All Police Officers Wear Body Cameras? Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot and killed on August 2014, by Darren Wilson, a white police officer, in Ferguson, Mo. Brown, an 18-year-old African-American was fatally shot and killed in the street shortly after robbing a convenience store. The disputed circumstances of the shooting of the unarmed young man sparked existing tensions in the majority-black community and law enforcements in Ferguson, Mo. The event received considerableRead MoreBody Camera Research1717 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Body camera research http://0-go.galegroup.com.skyline.ucdenver.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA392257319v=2.1u=auraria_mainit=rp=AONEsw=wauthCount=1 A study conducted by Cambridge University in 2012 and 2013 examined the effect of body cameras when the full local police force in Rialto, Calif., began using them. In the first year of the technology s introduction, use of force by officers fell 60 percent, while citizen complaints against police plunged 88 percent. (https://www.aclu.org/files/assets/police_body-mounted_camerasRead MoreSocial Issue And Social Problem1660 Words   |  7 Pagesanother social issue; that is police brutality and the use of body cameras. This is a subject of accountability of all parties across the globe. The renewed debate on the roles, scope and authority of the Police in America. The first voice in this social issue is the ones that defend the actions and means of today’s police and their procedures and protocol. The second voice in this social issue is the ones that believe that a majority of the encounters that police are having with individuals are