With all the advancements in technology, there has been a public demand for law enforcement to wear body cameras. Some police administrators, civil rights groups, politicians, and victims family have requested law enforcement mandate policy and force officers to wear body cameras in an attempt to increase accountability and transparency (Bradner, 2015; Fieldstadt, 2014; King and Disis, 2015; Morgan, 2015). There are positive and negative aspects to law enforcement wearing body cameras. In December 2014, President Obama created a task force to study twenty-first century policing, and proposed investing $75 million into purchasing 50,000 body cameras for law enforcement in the United States (Office of the White House Press Secretary, 2015). Body cameras are an essential part of our modern day policing. There have been a lot of questions and some doubt about the implementation of body cameras.
Research Questions
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Does police wearing body cameras indeed increase accountability and transparency?
There is evidence that shows that when police wear body cameras, it does increase accountability and transparency. Studies have shown that police wearing body cameras not only improve accountability and transparency but also reduce use of force incidents, increase law enforcement and citizen safety, facilitate officer training, and help to develop and build trust between the police and their communities (Macari, 2015; NIJ, 2012; Miller, Toliver, and Forum, 2014). Body camera footage can’t be altered and shows a clear and accurate image of whatever incident law enforcement is involved in. Most offenders and even law enforcement officers act differently when they know they are being recorded.
2. How will law enforcement agencies be able to afford to equip their officers with body cameras and other expenses like the ongoing maintenance and training?
Most law enforcement agencies struggle with equipping their officers with body