What Are The Pros And Cons Of Police Body Cameras

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Law enforcement and the people who perform those duties of protecting and serving citizens in our society and local communities have a tremendous responsibility. The use of body cameras serves two purposes which is protecting the people from injustice from law enforcement officers and the officers themselves from prosecution of wrongful acts of abuse when in question by an accuser. They themselves have taken an oath in the best interest of security of the people. A growing number of state and county legislative departments across the United States have been debating the pros and cons to police body cameras and whether they should become part of the standard law enforcement officer’s uniform. This may or may not be acceptable to …show more content…
• Video footage captured may help speed up court proceedings by providing indisputable proof of
• situations. This may lead to a reduction in court expenses due to an increase in pre-trial plea
• bargains or possibly an increased rate of convictions.

Cons or concerns to police body cameras: Following is a partial list of the cons and

disadvantages:

• According to early versions of policies governing their use, law enforcement officers must

physically activate the camera when they exit their patrol car. The recording equipment must be

manually activated when interacting with civilians or recording statements during investigations.

However, officers decide when to activate the camera, and for how long the footage is stored,

and if and when should it be made accessible to public. For example, the camera can be

deactivated when interviewing a victim of sexual assault, to maintain the victim’s privacy.
• Privacy issues are of concern for both cops and civilians. How to deal with those concerns is still being evaluated.
• Use of body cameras may prevent people from coming forward as credible witnesses to