Blackwell 1

Alexis Sieverts
Baylie Blackwell
Cameron Sepede
Gary Banford
English 1010
Cris Longhurst
08 April 2016

In this picture an officer is showing his body camera

A few years ago we would pick up the phone if there was an emergency, with no doubt
that there would be someone on the other side that would send an officer to our aid. In this day
and age, we are weary that we will not receive the proper assistance and that it will be the
officers word against our own. Body cameras will help make the community safer for civilians
and law enforcement. They will provide transparency when incidents occur; while body cameras
are implemented it has the opportunity to improve the reputation that law enforcement must uphold. Body cameras should be activated at all times when officers are on duty. It will provide a
more solid view on what happens when incidents occur. However, there are individuals who are
opposed to having body cameras on law enforcement.
Many may believe that as much as a police captured videos can provide clarity, it can
create just as much confusion. Bloomberg argues The angle or even lighting of any particular
frame can improperly sway a juror's perception of an incident on film. They often lack crucial

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context in the moments of ambiguity that can turn into a dangerous encounter (n.p.) Such
intimate incidents are captured on tape and displayed to the public. Do the videos really clarify
the situation? Many may argue, whatever happened to trusting in our law enforcement officers
and maintaining integrity between them and us? Medical emergencies, psychiatric episodes,
and domestic disputes are part of everyday calls for police officers. Are these cameras
degrading civic values by turning police officers into walking surveillance tools? Does it
disintegrate trust between citizens and law enforcement? The constant debates over body worn
cameras will continue. Are they ultimately beneficial, or do they complicate things?
Because of the recent incidents regarding multiple shootings involving police officers and
the general public, trust between the community and local law enforcement is at an all time low.
Amidst all the commotion and violence police body cameras are actually helping to make a big
difference in communities. Body cameras make the environment safer for everyone - citizens
and police alike.
With problems arising many police departments around the country- and even around
the world- have began to implement the body-worn camera (BWC) in the field. A police
department in Rialto, California reported in April of last year that, The use of force against its
officers declined by 59 percent when they began wearing cameras. (Marks n.p.) The large
decline in the available figures shows us that when people are on camera they act significantly
different.
One of the greatest benefits that we receive through the body cameras is the protection
of our own law enforcement. Gass states in his article, Body camera footage could help
exonerate police officers of crimes and improve their reputation in the eyes of the community.
(n.p.) In Cleveland, four police officers were involved in an incident which officer David Muniz
was shot, though not fatally wounded. The video footage from the BWC that Officer Muniz was

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wearing, recorded what happened after Muniz was shot. The police officers were trying to talk
the criminal into putting the gun down. I know you shot me, but Im not going to shoot you,
Muniz says. (Gass. n.p.) Gass reports that the criminal was, pleading with the officers to kill
him, and refused to drop the gun, which he was holding at his side. ( n.p.) The incident ended
in the death of the offender, though luckily there was a body camera worn during the whole
confrontation. The grand jury determined in October of 2015 that the four police officers involved
were justified in their actions, after seeing the video footage. The recording provided the jury
with better insight, and they were able to witness Officer Muniz and his partner trying to save
this man. In this example, the video saved the officers from facing life in prison after taking the
appropriate actions.

In this picture the suspect is showing excessive force, while the officer is trying to calm him down.

In this new age, we have incredible access to digital opportunities that will benefit the
community. As we incorporate new technology into law enforcement, it will allow for a greater
degree of transparency and it will lessen corruption when dealing with the public. Video
surveillance will create first person evidence that will stand as a witness of what really
happened. One major benefit in having video source is that people are being prosecuted a lot
faster. We are becoming more efficient in the prosecution process all because of body cameras.
The people being persecuted are confronted with footage of their actions while they are

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pleading guilty. Ultimately the complaints from the public about police brutality or misuse of their
power can be settled much faster.
In a recent debate over a particular situation, a young man threatened to kill an officer's
child at a hospital in Hampshire, UK. There was a chance that the young man's behavior would
go unpunished. After all, it was solely based off of the officer's word except a police officer was
wearing a body camera that captured every word that was said. The man was successfully
prosecuted for threatening behavior towards the officer. This is one small example of a way that
body cameras can change an overall situation.
Recently the Obama Administration, in an attempt to construct a safer environment,
launched a $75 million, three year program in order to supply police departments with body
cameras. (Knickerbocker. n.p.) The results that departments have seen around the country are
impressive. CEO of Reveal Media, Alasdair Field said, Confronted with footage of their actions,
defendants are pleading guilty earlier, and complaints from the public about police brutality or
misuse of their power can be settled faster and with less bureaucracy. (Marks, n.p.) Henry
Gass reports that the Presidents Task Force on 21st Century Policing released information from
a 12 month study which showed that, They found that the officers wearing the cameras had
87.5 percent fewer incidents of use of force and 59 percent fewer complaints than the officers
not wearing the cameras. (Gass, n.p.)
Through reports from police departments and videos that have actually been recorded
and reviewed in court we see that police body cameras make a safer environment for all of
those who live within. The cameras not only make criminals, victims and even police officers
more aware of their actions, they provide us with a better, more clear perspective of how well
our law enforcement officers are striving to protect and keep our communities safe.

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Since trust is currently at an ultimate low between the community and law enforcement,
body cameras are available to provide insight on what truly occurs during an altercation. As of
October, in the state of Florida, 18 police departments use police body cameras and 10 more
are conducting piloting programs. (Clark n.p.) The goal is to provide the community with peace
of mind that there are other means of recording the specific events that occur while an incident
is in process. It will grant transparency within law enforcement and their reasoning for the
actions that take place. This will help mend the reputation of law enforcement, since it is
currently being brought down by all the incidents that have occurred where body cameras could
have led to more solid and adequate information.

In this picture a women was assaulted and is seeking assistance from an officer.

It is broadly understood that police body cameras provide a more solid view of the
incident that has taken place. It is actually quite a simple understanding. There will generally
always be a discrepancy between the two parties at hand. Whether there is a discrepancy
between the stories of a civilian and an officer or between two civilians, why not make the
modern video recording technology we have available useful and place it directly into the
situation. It is exactly similar to what Major League Baseball has done with video replay; there
will always be a disagreement over what truly happened, so why not just get the call right? The
same logic applies to law enforcement.

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Due to the fact that everyone has their own interests in mind, we can only take someone's
word for what truly happened so far. There is an old saying that, there are always three sides to
a story: yours, mine, and the truth. Up until now, there has always only ever been access to the
stories of the proverbial yours and mine via the stories of the two parties at hand. Of course
there are certainly third-party witnesses available in most cases, but the human eye and the
human memory are generally flawed. Now, with the blessings of modern video technology we
finally have access to the undeniable, un-edited, and unbiased truth.
Before the implementation of on-body police cameras, officers had to write incident reports
based upon their own recollection which, as we stated above, are certainly flawed. With the help
of on-body cameras the officers can use this documented footage to aid them in their
recollection of what truly happened at the incident when writing their report. This ensures that
what truly happened on the sight of the incident is properly and accurately documented.
Not only are on-body cameras used as a legitimate law-enforcement tool for ensuring
accurate police-reports, they serve as a symbol. As Rutkin said in her article in New Scientist
Magazine, On-body cameras are often seen as a gesture of good faith between police and the
public. These cameras are essentially providing an invisible barrier between the general public
and law enforcement, allowing officers to still do their job efficiently and effectively while at the
same time making sure they do not overstep the boundaries of their authority (n.p.).
In Aviva Rutkins article in New Scientist magazine, Rutkin interviews a man by the name of
Mike Jones, a highway manager in Denbighshire, UK. Mr. Jones makes the argument that not
only are they a good idea to have when writing your official report but they actually add an extra
layer of security for the officer, making the day-to-day operations of his occupation safer. Mr.
Jones, along with his fellow civil enforcement officers, were all equipped with on-body cameras
this last spring. As the article states, Some officers were initially skeptical, but soon saw the

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benefits. Mr. Jones went on to say for himself that, When somebody started to become
aggressive, as soon as they were told that they were being filmed or they saw the camera, it did
result in a change in behavior, its an added layer of security (Rutkin n.p.).
It is clear that on-body cameras placed on law-enforcement officers provide a more solid
view of the incident that has taken place. That is understood because officers can use this video
evidence to write a fair and accurate incident report. Not only are the cameras used in reinsuring accurate recollection, they are an essential extra layer of security that provides both the
officer and the every-day citizen that an officer might encounter the additional safety that their
actions will be recorded.

Conclusion
While body cameras are being introduced into several different police agencies, they
should be activated from the time the officers are called on duty. This will allow the community to
have more trust in how the situation is handled and create adequate proof of the events that
occur. There are several cases that would have benefited from this equipment, but they are just
recently being introduced into each department since there are legal requirements that need to
be met. Body cameras are now statically known to reduce complaints and excessive force while

an officer is on duty. Dishonesty and immoral actions are overtaking our world today and we are
in dire need of another resource. Police body cameras are the answer to that. They will equip
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officers with the necessary tools that they need to persecute criminals. As we learn and develop
better systems in the law enforcement field, incorporating body cameras would change the way
people act and it could ultimately reduce crimes committed simply because a camera is present.

Works cited
Rutkin, Aviva. "The Rise of On-body Cameras and How They Will Change How We Live." New
Scientist 25 July 2015. New Scientist. Reed Business Information, 22 July 2015. Web. 8
Mar. 2016.

Marks, Paul. "Police, Camera, Action." New Scientist 220.2940 (2013): 21-22. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2016.

Henry Gass Staff, writer. "Cleveland case shows how body cameras can help police." Christian
Science Monitor 13 Oct. 2015: N.PAG. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2016.

Knickerbocker, Brad. "Study shows that with police body cameras 'everyone behaves better'.
" Christian Science Monitor 1 May 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 6 Apr.
2016.

Clark, Kristen M. "Body Camera Bill Passes Senate." Tampa Bay Times [St.
Petersburg, FL] 8 Mar. 2016: 7. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 8 Apr. 2016.

"Hillary Clinton Is Wrong About Police Cameras." Bloomberg View. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.