The Effect Of Body-Worn Cameras On Police Use-Of-Force

[Wild Bill]

New Publication Available: The Effect of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Use-of-Force

 

Police Foundation Executive Fellow, Chief Tony Farrar, recently completed an extensive yearlong study to evaluate the effect of body-worn video cameras on police use-of-force. This randomized controlled trail represents the first experimental evaluation of body-worn video cameras used in police patrol practices. Cameras were deployed to all patrol officers in the Rialto (CA) Police Department. Every police patrol shift during the 12-month period was assigned to experimental or control conditions.

 

Wearing cameras was associated with dramatic reductions in use-of-force and complaints against officers. The authors conclude:

    "The findings suggest more than a 50% reduction in the total number of incidents of use-of-force compared to control-conditions, and nearly ten times more citizens’ complaints in the 12-months prior to the experiment."

 

We applaud Chief Farrar for his commitment to conducting rigorous scientific research on a technology initiative that has broad implications for the field of policing. The full report, coauthored with Dr. Barak Ariel, Cambridge University, can be found at the following link.

 

See the New York Times report on the study.

 

Download the file: :

The Effect of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Use-of-Force.pdf

 

[+washtenaut]

Transparency in policing.  Good idea!  I have been harping on this one for a while.

 

Eventually even the police may see the need for recordings in order to restore the trust of the citizens.  When the push comes from LEO it will get implemented. 

[FranksHotPeppersAndMarijuana]

If I were a good cop I would welcome cameras. It protects the cop from false allegations as much as it protects the citizens from excessive force. Find me a cop that doesn't want to wear a camera and I'll show you a cop that probably enjoys abusing people.

[Wild Bill]

Transparency in policing.  Good idea!  I have been harping on this one for a while.

 

Eventually even the police may see the need for recordings in order to restore the trust of the citizens.  When the push comes from LEO it will get implemented. 

 

The police view is that the cameras will cut down on lawsuits because they will show that the police did nothing wrong. (Or that's their story)

[Dr. Bob]

Then both sides win...

 

Let's put cameras on cops.

 

Dr. Bob

[beourbud]

cameras on cops is a great idea....the sooner the better!

[GregS]

I like the historically proven method. Liberte, egalite, fraternite!

 

Edited August 14, 2014 by GregS

[AmishRnot4ganja]

I like the historically proven method. Liberte, egalite, fraternite!

 

Always an option if the cameras don't help I suppose.

[t-pain]

its win-win.

 

just like police dash cams.

[Wild Bill]

I like the historically proven method. Liberte, egalite, fraternite!

 

I love a story with a happy ending.

[shishka]

New Publication Available: The Effect of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Use-of-Force

 

Police Foundation Executive Fellow, Chief Tony Farrar, recently completed an extensive yearlong study to evaluate the effect of body-worn video cameras on police use-of-force. This randomized controlled trail represents the first experimental evaluation of body-worn video cameras used in police patrol practices. Cameras were deployed to all patrol officers in the Rialto (CA) Police Department. Every police patrol shift during the 12-month period was assigned to experimental or control conditions.

 

Wearing cameras was associated with dramatic reductions in use-of-force and complaints against officers. The authors conclude:

    "The findings suggest more than a 50% reduction in the total number of incidents of use-of-force compared to control-conditions, and nearly ten times more citizens’ complaints in the 12-months prior to the experiment."

 

We applaud Chief Farrar for his commitment to conducting rigorous scientific research on a technology initiative that has broad implications for the field of policing. The full report, coauthored with Dr. Barak Ariel, Cambridge University, can be found at the following link.

 

See the New York Times report on the study.

 

Download the file: :

The Effect of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Use-of-Force.pdf

 

While I'm all for it, I can't help but wonder if complaints were down in part to the complaintent knowing the police video would prove otherwise?

 

[free420country]

I think we need to make it a law thatall police wear one at all times on duty

[Willy]

right and just like dash cams they will either turn it off, or claim it broke in the scuffle "just before i had to blow his head off" to save myself,, and the children down the road in the school behind the park around the block in the next town, ... havent you noticed the dash cam always points in the woods or off screen when there is a serious confrontation...they have learned to aim dash cams away.. 

[Norby]

Big Brother on Big Brother, I like it!

Now we have to get them to play "big brother is watching you" every 10 seconds or so to remind them.

[+washtenaut]

right and just like dash cams they will either turn it off, or claim it broke in the scuffle "just before i had to blow his head off" to save myself,, and the children down the road in the school behind the park around the block in the next town, ... havent you noticed the dash cam always points in the woods or off screen when there is a serious confrontation...they have learned to aim dash cams away.. 

 

That is a great point.  I saw a 'Vest Cam' device demonstrated called VieVu that I think is in use within some police departments. 

 

http://www.vievu.com/vievu-products/hardware/

 

 

Immediately I saw a problem.  The police officer had total control of turning it on or off.  That can't be allowed.  Nor, as Willy suggests, can the officers be allowed to easily make it 'blind' to the encounter.

[beourbud]

Cop cams and black boxes should Not have off buttons.

[+Malamute]

Let me say as a white person, cams don't allow officers to let us go as freely as previously. 

 

 Heh.

 

 All sad. All true and ya all know it. ;-)

[+washtenaut]

Let me say as a white person, cams don't allow officers to let us go as freely as previously. 

 

 Heh.

 

 All sad. All true and ya all know it. ;-)

 

I don't know about that.  And when I say I don't know, I mean it. 

 

Can't an officer use his discretion as to whether an arrest or a warning  better serves the interests of the public?  Just because LEO caught you doing something, and now it is recorded, I think he can still decide when a warning would be sufficient.

 

If the answer is no, the officer has no leeway, after consideration, I still think we would all be better served by having transparency in all police encounters.

[+Malamute]

I agree. We need cameras. I just wanted to point out that police would be less likely to just give a warning on certain issues.

[Norby]

Not if no one is going to bring back up the footage.  I've seen them use discretion on northern law or some other show where they show on cam them letting people off on citations, while only giving one or letting them off alltogether with a warning.  On a tv show.  I'd hope things wouldn't change on teh discretion let offs.

[+Malamute]

Me too!

 

Heh.

 

I just try to look at all possibilities. 

 

Also, I was just being a smart alec when I said "white".  It was a tongue in cheek joke/reality.

 

:-)