Body worn cameras are a tool designed to record police interactions with civilians, for a multitude of purposes. Primarily, the purpose of the cameras is to provide an impartial record of events, and to assist in fact-finding when problems arise, which increases accountability for the police and civilians alike. Studies have shown the use of body cameras to reduce police use of force and citizen complaints.
The availability of the recorded videos is handled differently by each police department, but such videos are subject to dissemination via the Freedom of Information Act. This raises serious questions about privacy concerns, as well as a daunting amount of time, money and work for the police departments struggling to keep up with processing this new stream of information, which grows daily.
Click the New York Times article below for a fascinating look at the pros and cons of this now-pervasive technology:
Gordon Thompson
