There’s no escaping technology. With each passing day we see more and more and we become more and more dependent upon it. While dashboard police cameras were once installed during “trial periods”, they are now found in abundance. The same is likely to happen with on-officer cameras, recording every interaction the police have.
It seems that when a big story breaks of police misconduct, there is a cell phone camera that’s recorded the event. Without that type of footage a claim of brutality or simply unethical behavior becomes a he said/ she said situation where citizens are pitted against the police. How would all of that change if officers were each outfitted with a small camera mounted to their hat or uniform?
In this article from the San Francisco Chronicle, we learn the Bay area police departments are looking into this possibility, potentially changing the culture of what it means as a cop to be “caught on camera”. So how would putting the police in charge of the camera change the footage we currently hear about? The answer to that question is being debated in circles across the country.
On one hand it could potentially encourage more ethical and professional behavior in individual officers. Knowing they are recording the sound and picture of their interactions with civilians would perhaps cause them to think twice about bypassing policies or practices.
It could also serve to de-escalate tense situations for both parties. One officer who is already outfitted with a camera in Brentwood states that when an individual gets confrontational, he simply informs them they are being recorded and the exchange takes a different, calmer, direction.
On the other hand, the cameras pose potential problems. For instance, if the individual officer is put in control of the device, who’s to say when he/she will turn it off simply to save face in a situation they know could potentially have negative repercussions for them.
Another issue is cost. Outfitting every officer with this kind of technology would put a serious dent in the budget of most agencies and getting public support for this kind of expense is often difficult.
Finally, with hours and hours of footage, rules and procedures for keeping and storing would have to be put in place. How long would the data be kept and what would it be used for if not for evidence in a specific case. The public is very aware of their perceived “right to privacy” and giving law enforcement the ability to record and keep images of them will no doubt make waves.
The reality of camera equipped officers isn’t a matter of “if” it’s a matter of when. Depending on your case, the footage could help your case or seal your fate. Until that time, however, your case is built off of other forms of evidence.
But this evidence isn’t always a bad thing for an accused criminal defendant. If video evidence is being used against you in a criminal case, contact a defense attorney to help determine what this information can mean for your case.
About David Matson