Do Police Really Want Body Cameras?

[Clyde]

I heard someone yesterday, probably Deters, say the body camera is a great tool for the police because "9 times out of 10" it absolves them.

 

 

If you were an officer would you want to wear a body camera?

 

My guess (key since I'm not an office) is I would NOT.

 

My guess (again) is that there's a lot of gray area in handling people and crimes. Do I want that on tape? No. I think there is enough anti-police people out there that if that came out publicly they would use any little thing on that video to convict me.

 

I wonder if my thinking is shared by officers.

[TheDeuce]

If cops are doing the job the way they are supposed to be doing it, I don't see how any of them wouldn't want the cameras. It would be a sense of security for me.

[theguru]

I heard someone yesterday, probably Deters, say the body camera is a great tool for the police because "9 times out of 10" it absolves them.

 

 

If you were an officer would you want to wear a body camera?

 

My guess (key since I'm not an office) is I would NOT.

 

My guess (again) is that there's a lot of gray area in handling people and crimes. Do I want that on tape? No. I think there is enough anti-police people out there that if that came out publicly they would use any little thing on that video to convict me.

 

I wonder if my thinking is shared by officers.

 

I have had this discussion for the last ten years and in short, hell to the no (once again).

 

Essentially, body cameras will eliminate officer discretion. Some of you may think that is a good thing but I strongly disagree. Just like Judges, you want good ones in place (Judges and Cops) and you let them do what they believe is in the best interests of individuals and society within reasonable limits.

 

With all that said, the nature of the beast dictates all officers need body cams all the time. Otherwise, no one is going to believe an officers account of anything.

[TheDeuce]

Just like Judges, you want good ones in place (Judges and Cops) and you let them do what they believe is in the best interests of individuals and society within reasonable limits.

 

This makes sense. Thanks for pointing that out.

[Jumper_Dad]

I think in a perfect world they are great...but this isn't a perfect world.

 

How many people could keep their job if there was a camera recording everything that they do. I think a lot of posters would get fired just from the amount of time they spend online when they should be working.

 

One issue with Body Cameras is that even when present they don't always get the action in frame. Cameras can slip or move during an encounter.

 

Second issue, is that in the heat of the moment an officer can forget to turn it on or think they switched it on when it didn't. If that were to happen the court of public opinion would hang the officer assuming it was left off intentionally.

 

Body Cameras are great, they just aren't a perfect solution.

[Habib]

I have had this discussion for the last ten years and in short, hell to the no (once again).

 

Essentially, body cameras will eliminate officer discretion. Some of you may think that is a good thing but I strongly disagree. Just like Judges, you want good ones in place (Judges and Cops) and you let them do what they believe is in the best interests of individuals and society within reasonable limits.

 

With all that said, the nature of the beast dictates all officers need body cams all the time. Otherwise, no one is going to believe an officers account of anything.

 

I don't disagree with you, but to branch off of it I think we can add a component to body cameras that governs under what circumstances the footage can be used so that officers aren't nitpicked for every little thing they do, but that the cameras can still help answer major questions (like shootings or excessive force or the like).

 

On another tangent, how have dash-cameras affected policework? It seems there's a decent parallel between those and body cameras. Anything we can learn from that?

[theguru]

I don't disagree with you, but to branch off of it I think we can add a component to body cameras that governs under what circumstances the footage can be used so that officers aren't nitpicked for every little thing they do, but that the cameras can still help answer major questions (like shootings or excessive force or the like).

 

On another tangent, how have dash-cameras affected policework? It seems there's a decent parallel between those and body cameras. Anything we can learn from that?

 

The problem is things/circumstances surprise you all the time in law enforcement and your priority is safety, tactics, back up, etc. Not turning your body camera on. Hopefully technology comes up with a solution.

 

A dash cam is fine but I will tell you from experience things look worse in person than they do on a dash cam. Think of the difference between watching a movie in 2D and then watching it in 3D. My point here is dash cameras are not all peaches and creme.

[John Anthony]

I saw a stat somewhere in CA that after a body camera pilot, police complaints dropped by 40-50%.

[theguru]

I saw a stat somewhere in CA that after a body camera pilot, police complaints dropped by 40-50%.

 

Definitely another great reason to have body cameras.

 

Don't get me wrong everyone, personally I like choices, but the current state of American Policing requires body cameras and I am okay with that.

[Habib]

The problem is things/circumstances surprise you all the time in law enforcement and your priority is safety, tactics, back up, etc. Not turning your body camera on. Hopefully technology comes up with a solution.

 

A dash cam is fine but I will tell you from experience things look worse in person than they do on a dash cam. Think of the difference between watching a movie in 2D and then watching it in 3D. My point here is dash cameras are not all peaches and creme.

 

No doubt, just curious if it affects how officers approach traffic stops v. not having the camera and if there's anything about their use that can extrapolated to body cameras.

 

Like I said, I don't want to create a situation where officers are left out to dry or are tried in public because they didn't dot an "i" or otherwise made a judgement call in a tough situation, but there's a very negative climate around police violence right now and I think there needs to be a way to adjudicate between the finger pointing in a way that restores some faith in the system.

[theguru]

No doubt, just curious if it affects how officers approach traffic stops v. not having the camera and if there's anything about their use that can extrapolated to body cameras.

 

Like I said, I don't want to create a situation where officers are left out to dry or are tried in public because they didn't dot an "i" or otherwise made a judgement call in a tough situation, but there's a very negative climate around police violence right now and I think there needs to be a way to adjudicate between the finger pointing in a way that restores some faith in the system.

 

Good points and although I think it is a step back in law enforcement for the time being I think body cameras active all the time are in everyone's best interests.

[CincySportsFan]

If every officer had a camera, do you think the public would behave "better" with their interactions with police, knowing that they, themselves, were the ones on film? (Granted the drunks and the ones on drugs won't care...but, I'm talking more about John Q. Public who's mad at his neighbor's dog, or something like that.)

[mexitucky]

Good points and although I think it is a step back in law enforcement for the time being I think body cameras active all the time are in everyone's best interests.

 

Absolutely. While officers may be nitpicked, I would say that they would far more exonerated. If an officer has a body camera on, he's going to be on his best behavior b/c he is under surveillance, basically. If anything escalates, rational thought says, that it will come from who ever the officer stopped or detained.

 

I think that what happened w/ Dubose is an outlier, b/c most cops w/ body cams on would be certain to follow protocol. There will be no more "he said/she said." The only people who won't like it will be judges b/c their dockets are going to be fuller due to lack of discretion on the officers part. A citeable or arrestable offense will have to be followed through on, or the officer faces the risk of reprimand.

[bugatti]

If every officer had a camera, do you think the public would behave "better" with their interactions with police, knowing that they, themselves, were the ones on film? (Granted the drunks and the ones on drugs won't care...but, I'm talking more about John Q. Public who's mad at his neighbor's dog, or something like that.)

 

In short, yes. While overall it is is a positive, many also fear that incidents, in particular domestics, will more likely go unreported. People are most vulnerable within their homes. Unless specific language is written in to laws, you are making your home (what you are wearing at home) a public record. There are businesses out there that strictly order police footage to dig through the juicy stories.

[TheDeuce]

If every officer had a camera, do you think the public would behave "better" with their interactions with police, knowing that they, themselves, were the ones on film? (Granted the drunks and the ones on drugs won't care...but, I'm talking more about John Q. Public who's mad at his neighbor's dog, or something like that.)

 

I absolutely do. I think far less people would act silly knowing they were on camera.