the cause and effect on why police officers start wearing body cameras
In this essay, I am going to talk about the cause and effect on why police officers start wearing body cameras. Body cameras refer to the electronic gadgets worn on by the police for recording, with the function of recording every single act that happens during law enforcement: Could be arresting, dealing with protesting civilians or any other action related to law maintenance and order. The concept behind the introduction of body cameras is said to have been for the reasons of accountability and transparency (D. Lynch et al,pp.549-556,749-762). In their job, police could sometimes be extreme in handling the civilians, or even the arrested. And as well the police risk their lives on retaliation in the case of such events,s termed as police and anti-police clashes; hence we try to analyze the possible reasons behind the introduction of body cameras. These include; Police brutality, recording evidence for the courts, ensuring police safety as well as enhancing accountability and good community relations.
To begin with, police brutality which has been in existence since the days immemorial, form independence times. It is something that has been in discussion by almost all the humanitarian organizations, but unfortunately, we have not managed to deal with it in a lasting solution. This poses a severe factor because of the way police officer interacts with civilians. They do it by using excessive force to put them down or even accuse them of resisting arrest, and another situation would be racial profiling individuals of their skin complexion all in the name of exercising law and order. This subsequently causes the civilians to lose trust in the police officers in fear for their lives as well as losing respect for them. This brutality has been seen in terms of dangerous shooting even when the suspect has surrendered, dispersing peaceful demonstrators with teargas and shots in the air, clubbing civilians with their weapons causing harm, injuries and even sometimes deaths. In doing this, yes everyone could be watching, but there would end up zero police cases in court as they would be protected under their uniform with no evidence to take them down. As a result, there was the introduction of the body cameras to try and curb police brutality. This is to record every action and counteraction in the event of police arrests and encounters. They were done to ensure that people are treated fairly and in a humane way during clashes with the police officers.
Secondly, the body cameras were introduced to provide recordings for trial in the court of law. Police are involved in car-chases with gangs. They are also often called upon when groups attack an area land they are deployed to go and arrest them. This includes finding the suspects red-handed in the act. The cameras are meant to record these activities as well as any words a criminal may utter during the arrest process that should be used against them in the court of law. Besides, there are those gangs or criminals who in the police exchange might manage to escape without being arrested. In such cases, the cameras should have recorded the faces, that is, if they did not have masks on although even the masked faces could be passed under some computerized technology revealing some percentage of their identity. Furthermore, the actions done by the criminals should be recorded on the cameras. This is an accumulation of pieces of evidence as well as in the view of carrying out further investigation.
Besides, the introduction of body cameras was to ensure police safety. Just like civilians, police are humans too. They are called in hazardous scenarios to deal with people who are ready to lose their lives, for instance, terrorist attackers/suicide bombers. Just like they do protect us, their safety has to be guaranteed too. The civilians attack some police in the events of peaceful protests which turn out violent. They could secure severe injuries and even left fighting for their lives. In such crucial moments, the cameras are handy as they record every event. With this, the police can get assistance, and even the involved would face the law.
Also, accountability, transparency and good community relations (D. Lynch et al,pp.549-556,749-762). Police have always been perceived as brutal, harsh and inconsiderate in their relations with civilians. Some civilians even term them as ‘bad guys’ contrary to their purpose in our nations. This could be due to past first-hand personal experiences, word of mouth from the surrounding or even social and mass media. Knowing the fact that everything is being recorded, the police will surely not risk going overboard while in their line of duty. However, it has been argued that community relations should be an individual quality and not just being led by some gadget. Accountability and transparency are also vital. For instance, traffic police should not be taking bribes. Still, you find them building their banks on the highways, going there to collect the little money from drivers who have some issues like drunk driving, license issues, over-speeding and even ensure they harass the innocent ones too in the name of bribes.
With the implementation of the body cameras, such gross misconduct acts are going to be highly mitigated. The legal procedures are followed in case of any issues on the roads. Therefore accountability and transparency are achieved. On community relations, the police have to find a better and more sage way of handling the public. With the camera records, they will be keener in all their actions, and this is what would reinstate the faith the people once had in them.
However, the introduction and use of body cameras have not given results as expected in some aspects of the reasons. Their implementation, For instance, on the brutality issue and transparency, many police have it in their heads that the recording cameras are solely for them, that is, their protection and safety as well as a collection of evidence. This is proven in a statistic that was carried out whereby three out of ten people confirmed that police with cameras used less force contrary to the remaining seven who felt no change in the polices’ strategies while maintaining law and order. This is contrary to the fundamental reason for the pushing of the introduction of body cameras, that is, mitigating police brutality as well as maintaining good community relations.
This raises a question whether the introduction of body cameras has worked to the plan and given results that are worth the investment. This is analyzed in another study where civilians admit there is change, unfortunately, is has been too decimal.
Police are focusing the body cameras on the collection of evidence and self-safety and forgetting the primary purpose of the project. However, on the other side, handling it with the implementation of more strategies and policies would do much better than doing calculations on the project’s worth.
In conclusion, the body cameras introduction was a good idea with the current technological revolution. It has boosted pace in handling some issues that would rather stay pending for a more extended period before. However, the project has not yet hit its primary target and more need to be done in the form of policies to enhance its operation. Moreover, several officers have come out with complaints that they are overburdened both mentally and physically hence unable to work well(Stoughton, 611). Physically, the burden comes in a way that they must have the gadget every time on duty. Mentally and psychologically, they get tortured on the fact that they are continually being watched out. Lives us with a challenge to the government; What can and should be done to result in a win-win?