Introduction
Law enforcement agencies are actively using technology to optimize their work. One such technological innovation is body-worn cameras (BWCs). BWCs have some benefits, including reducing violent police behavior toward citizens and guaranteeing additional evidence. However, body-worn cameras have shortcomings that cause concerns among the public and the law enforcement agencies themselves. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of BWCs to determine how beneficial their use is for the police.
Advantages
Behavior Control
One of the main benefits of police wearing body cameras is to control and improve interactions between law enforcement and citizens. According to the National Institute of Justice (2022), “the use of body-worn cameras resulted in a statistically significant reduction in both complaints and use of force” (para. 15). Video recording forces police and citizens to be more restrained when interacting with each other. Moreover, video “footage can be a source of transparency for an officer’s law enforcement actions, which eventually protect his/her career” (Kim et al., 2020, p. 291). Such video evidence is one of the critical factors in understanding situations and decisions taken by police officers in stressful situations. Therefore, they can be used for internal investigations related to complaints of police incompetence or abuse of authority.
Improving the Quality of Work
In addition to reducing law enforcement violence rates, the use of cameras positively affects other indicators of performance. It increases the transparency and understanding of police activities for the public, which, according to Kim et al. (2020), leads to improved “job performance and community relations” (p. 292). Moreover, building relationships with citizens enhances the reputation and level of public trust in law enforcement agencies. In addition, the presence of control contributes to improving the quality of work performed. Laming (2019) says that the use of technology has increased the motivation and interest of police officers in their work by guaranteeing the safety of employees. Consequently, the use of body-worn cameras has a positive effect on working performance and contributes to an increase in crime detection.
Additional Evidence
Another benefit is the ability to use recordings from BWCs as evidence in court. Such evidence can significantly speed up the trial as they are irrefutable factors supporting the case (Laming, 2019). The secure access to camera recordings minimizes the possibility of editing materials, which makes them reliable evidence. In addition, the use of this evidence does not require permission from the people present, which makes the materials more accessible.
Disadvantages
Confidentiality
While there are many benefits to using BWCs, it also causes some issues. The most significant number of concerns is the issue of confidentiality for both citizens and the police themselves. Laming (2019) states that “body cameras can capture a great deal of activity involving individuals who may be vulnerable or in vulnerable positions” (p. 207). The use of these technologies poses a threat to the safety of citizens and may cause victims and witnesses to refuse to testify to the police. Moreover, most cameras record throughout the entire period of work, which violates the officers’ privacy. Some BWCs give police officers the ability to turn the device off and on when needed. However, according to Laming (2019), in this case, there is a possibility that the officer may forget to turn on the camera. That will make it impossible to obtain the necessary evidence from the scene if necessary.
Technical Issues
In addition, several technical challenges arise during the use of BWCs. Firstly, it is related to the camera itself, which includes video quality, dead battery, damage to the device, probability of the lens overlap, and other technical features. That imposes additional responsibilities on law enforcement officers, which consist of the need to monitor the correct operation of the equipment. Secondly, there are often issues with the “storage and retention of body camera footage” (Laming, 2019, p. 208). The biggest problem is the preservation and protection of information from cyberattacks, copying, deletion, or editing of materials. Moreover, this creates the need for additional control of corruption in law enforcement agencies.
Cost
Another disadvantage of using body-worn cameras for police officers is their high cost. When introducing new technologies to work, some U.S. law enforcement agencies “have faced serious fiscal challenges of running body camera programs” (Laming, 2019, p. 209). Many regional police stations do not have enough funding and resources to provide BWCs for officers. Moreover, in addition to the high cost of the equipment itself, its maintenance and work with recorded video materials also require investments. Therefore, the potential costs of implementing BWCs in the creation of law enforcement agencies should be calculated in the long term.
Conclusion
Thus, the use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement agencies has a positive impact on their productivity and efficiency. That improves the quality of interaction between police officers and citizens and increases the level of trust in them. Furthermore, video footage can be used as irrefutable evidence, speeding up court proceedings. However, the use of BWCs is subject to privacy concerns and related technical challenges. In addition, introducing these technologies into law enforcement agencies requires considerable financial resources, which agencies often do not have.
References
Kim, D.-Y., Phillips, S. W., & Gramaglia, J. A. (2021). The relationship between general policing attitudes and how officers perceive the potential advantages of body cameras. Journal of Crime and Justice, 44(3), 275-296. Web.
Laming, E. (2019). Police use of body worn cameras. Police practice and research, 20(2), 201-216. Web.
Research on body-worn cameras and law enforcement. (2022). National Institute of Justice. Web.