Could Body Cameras Change Police?

A San Diego Officer wearing Camera

Police can be many different things, all depending on the situation. They can be heroes when protecting people from criminals or saving people in danger. Or they can be criminals themselves, harassing, assaulting, or even murdering the people they are sworn by oath to protect. In order to try to ensure that police officers maintain their roles as protectors and heros in society, and not anything less, it should be required that officers wear, and use, body cameras when interacting with civilians.

Following a Ferguson police officer shooting and killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager in August, Ferguson police are now required to wear such cameras. These cameras could potentially provide evidence in police brutality cases such as Brown's that would normally not even exist. Because of such evidence, use of force during heated encounters between police and civilians would be decreased dramatically. According to research from the Community Oriented Policing Services website, in a study in Rialto, California, there was a 60 percent reduction in officers using force during interactions with a camera involved. Also, there was an 88 percent reduction in citizen complaints towards officers following the implementation of the cameras.

As with any new technology, the body cameras are not without their drawbacks. According to an article by Ben Kesling featured in The Wall Street Journal, the cameras cannot remain switched on all of the time due to their high battery consumption and limited memory storage. Therefore, officers must turn on the camera manually, when anticipating contact with civilians. Officers will require proper training on how to use and when to use to the cameras.

These issues with the cameras may hinder their effectiveness for the time being. However, as rules regarding camera use become more clear, and technology improves, I believe the cameras will become a key component of police activity, displayed on officers' chests across the country. They represent a necessary step forward in finding the truth in court cases, protecting the innocent and condemning the guilty alike. The cameras maybe the step forward that will bring some good from the tragic loss of Michael Brown, ensuring that in the future people will be safe from the brutality he suffered.