Police body cameras have received a lot of press as of late, both negative and positive. Mostly because there is a new law that states that police officers are permitted to use police body cameras to film potential criminals in the act, while they are on duty. With police brutality becoming such as big issue, these cameras have both critics and people who think they are a good idea. Even though there is no right or wrong answer there are some people who think this is an advantage while others disagree.
Benefits of Police Body Cameras
Using body cameras for police use comes with a number of different advantages. There have been quite a few studies that have shown that when police officers use these body cameras that they tend to be less violent and as do the potential criminals. All of these studies have shown that there have been 50% less police force shown and both police officers and pedestrians are much safer than ever before. Police officers can also be held accountable for their mistakes when they are wearing their proof. There are recent events that have made these body cameras absolutely necessary. These cameras also have the ability to show that they have a soft side to them.
Disadvantages of Police Body Cameras
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to using these body cameras is the issue with privacy. Some might even consider that it is invasion of privacy but much of these depends on the circumstances under which they being filmed. If there are civilians that are simply only passers-by and have nothing to do with the actual incident. It can also be somewhat impractical to have these cameras on-hand all of the time. They would have to be small enough so that they wouldn’t take up very much space at all.
Besides the privacy issue, there are very few disadvantages to using these cameras. There have been a number of studies that have shown both police officers and assailants are less likely to demonstrate any kind of force when they are being filmed. When everyone is held accountable for their mistakes, they tend to make less of them. It creates a safer work environment for the police force and safer streets for individuals who could have the potential for police brutality. It is all around a great idea to use police body cameras.
