Body Cameras on Law Enforcers
Most police officers in the world have body cameras attached to their uniform. The cameras are often worn on the chest or in the headset. It is aimed at recording every visual and audio of the activities the police engage in. it was introduced following an upsurge from the public. The officers were accused of shooting unarmed black America. The president of the United States, Barack Obama introduced national wide programs to better the police force in the year 2015. Forty five states have received funding in response to the program, which involves wearing body cameras.
The use of body cameras by the police officers has received a sizeable amount of critics. Proponent of the idea states that it is very advantageous for the police to have the body cameras. They hold that it promotes transparency and accountability. They also say it reduces anti-police violence. They say body cameras provide the required evidence to prove or disapprove allegations of police misconduct. Similarly, they hold that it is good for police training and the public supports the idea. On the other hand, opponents of the idea also have their say. They state that police get overburdened which affects them both physically and mentally. They also say police officers get stressed due to being under camera surveillance. This could put sensitive victims or witnesses into the public which would damage the community trust. In a sense, the use of body cameras has advantages and disadvantages. This paper looks into the pros and cons of police body camera and concludes by asserting whether they should be used.
In a normal setting, people tend to act differently if they know they are being watched. They tend to change their behaviors and tame their actions. If a police officer knows he/she is being filmed, he will tend to act appropriately. Use of body camera facilitates safety of both officers and the public. The officers are encouraged to be in good behavior. More so, the public as well reduces instances of aggression. Research has shown that aggressive behavior and misconducts from officers and public have reduced since the application of body cameras program. The study was carried out in the United States and several other countries using a similar program. This overly shows that body camera is an essential tool of ensuring and enhancing safety of both officers of the law and public. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
On the other hand, it can be argued that the use of body cameras decreases the safety of officer and has adverse effects to their mental and physical health. Some people tend to react violently when being filmed. Such people include drunkards, mentally challenged individuals or people on drugs and substance abuse. Whenever such a person gets filmed, he/she will tend to react so violently. The violence reaction lays a risk to the officer. The officer of the law might get hurt due to the reaction if such people. More so, use of body cameras increases the burden on the police officer. They already have too much to carry, so body cameras add to their weight. This could affect their performance on the ground. It also poses a risk to their health. Whenever a body camera is dysfunctional or damaged, the officer is at risk of getting shocked. As such, one can see that a body camera pose a threat to the health of officers and compromises their safety.
Body worn cameras promote accountability and transparency among the officers of the law. It also provides evidence that is necessary in proving or disapproving allegations of misconduct. These body worn cameras provide visual and audio evidence. This evidence is used to independently validate the happenings of any scene. The use of body cameras has helped exonerate officers accused of misconduct. In Texas, an officer of the law was fired after the evidence presented from his body camera contradicted his initial statement. Similarly, in Baltimore, an officer was suspended from the law enforcement after evidence from body camera showed him planting evidence in a scene of crime. Without the help of body cameras, such achievements could not have been reached. Therefore, it is clear that body cameras promote accountability and transparency among the officers of the law.
On the other hand, the use of body worn camera damages the police-public relationship. The use of body cameras invades the privacy of citizens. The recordings might expose sensitive content to the public. Such may include victims of dare crimes such as rape among others. Research has indicated that most people are unwilling to speak to the police with body cameras even after the device has been switched off. Such individuals may be afraid of being exposed as informants. As such, one can see that the use of body cameras damages the relationship between police and public. It creates a barrier that may hinder the police from getting to the truth since the public will not be willing to speak to the officers.
Body worn camera offers the best tool for training. Video recorded from the cameras could be used to train recruits on how to handle the public during difficulty situations. For instance, the Miami police department has been using such video for training since 2012. They show the recruits what the officers did well, what they did badly and what they can improve. As such one can see that the body cameras are a valuable asset in training recruits.
On the other hand, these body cameras are too expensive and unreliable. The use of body camera comes in hand with extra cost. It has to be accompanied by ancillary equipment. The officers need to be trained on how to use the body cameras. Furthermore, the force has to budget for more than just acquiring body cameras. This is because more is needed as the support for the same. There have to individuals involved with managing the data storage, trainers and extra staff to manage data storage facilities. As such, one can see that the use of body camera is accompanied by extra expenses. These expenses could be avoided and the extra resources saved or directed in other projects.
To sum up, it is clear that the use of body cameras has equal share of pros and cons. However, it is important to note that the work of the officers is to promote law and order. In some instances, the officers tend to use inappropriate means to achieve law and order. Such misconducts could cause harm to the public. However, with the body cameras, they will not do such a thing since they know everything is being recorded. Overly, police officers are trained individual who can withstand the pressure from wearing body cameras. As such, it is crucial to note that the use of body cameras have considerable benefits not only to the public but to the officers too. Despite having some disadvantages, the use of body camera by law enforcers should be a program practiced in every country since it promotes safety of police and public.