Impact of Police Body-Worn Cameras on Police and Citizen Behavior

This report analyzes the effects of police body-worn cameras on officer behavior, exploring both the advantages and disadvantages of their implementation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research examines how body-worn cameras can promote police accountability, reduce misconduct, and improve transparency. It also acknowledges the challenges associated with body-worn cameras, including costs, organizational difficulties, and privacy concerns. The report concludes that while body-worn cameras have the potential to improve police-citizen interactions, the findings are mixed, and further evaluation is needed to fully understand their impact.

EFFECTS OF POLICE BODY-WORN
CAMERAS AND OFFICERS BEHAVIOR
Student details:

EFFECTS OF POLICE BODY-WORN CAMERAS AND OFFICERS BEHAVIOUR 1

EFFECTS OF POLICE BODY-WORN CAMERAS AND OFFICERS BEHAVIOUR 2
Introduction-
Research Title
The Title of research is” to analyze the effects of police body-worn cameras and
officer’s behaviour”: In the context of United States”.
Research methods
The researcher will apply mixed method (qualitative research method and quantitative
research method) to evade the drawbacks and to get the consistent and effective results. As
per the qualitative research method, the trends can be uncovered in the opinions. On the other
hand, by using the quantitative method the statistical work can be performed to accumulate
the proper data to resolve the problem. Further, the mixed research method has many
advantages. The mixed research method runs the flexibility in the study. It makes sure that
findings are based upon the knowledge and experience. It mainly makes the differences
between the quantitative and qualitative data. It has some disadvantages. The mixed approach
is complex to propose and perform (Ariel, Farrar & Sutherland, 2015).
Research statement-
The subject of research is to analyze the effects of police body-worn cameras and
officer’s behaviour. In the policing context, the police body-born camera is likely to
encourage the loyalty of police to departmental protocols and stop them to do misconduct or
unprofessional behaviour. The citizens who interact with body- worn camera equipped police
officers less or not engage in wrong behaviour. It highlights the fear of being caught and the
self-awareness. It will have humanizing effect on the citizens and the police officers. When
the behaviour of the police officers and citizens is being recorded, then they are required to
behave in good and proper way (Oliver, 2014).
The body-worn camera creates the transparency. It also generates the citizen view of
the sincerity and loyalty of the police officers. The use of the body-worn camera decreases

EFFECTS OF POLICE BODY-WORN CAMERAS AND OFFICERS BEHAVIOUR 3
the violent interactions between the citizens and the police officer. The video footage can be
represent as evidence so corrupt police officers can be fired easily. This offensive officer can
be disciplined. It also helps the police officers to involve in the corruption and fault again.
The camera footage helps to resolve the cases easily, in prudent manner and in time. The
effects could be positive or negative (Keeffe, 2016).
There are so many challenges in respect of the body-worn camera. The body-worn
camera is expensive. Mostly it is costly due to cost of storage and cost of managing the video
footage. It contains many organisational difficulties. For example, state power, access to
video footage and the secrecy or confidentiality. The body-worn cameras make concerns for
the protection and health of the police officers. It requires the more investment in the training
and the police development programme (Drover & Ariel, 2015).
Conclusion-
As per the above analysis it can be said that there are advantages of body–worn
camera as well as disadvantages. The complaints against the BWC equipped police officers
are more than complaints against the police officer not wearing the body-worn camera. The
variances between the two are marginal. So many evaluations have been conducted in this
regard but the findings are found mixed.

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Reference
Ariel, B., Farrar, W. A., & Sutherland, A. (2015). The effect of police body-worn cameras on
use of force and citizens’ complaints against the police: A randomized controlled trial.
Journal of quantitative criminology, 31(3), 509-535.
Drover, P., & Ariel, B. (2015). Leading in experiment in police body-worn video cameras.
International criminal justice review, 25(1), 80-97.
Keeffe, D. (2016). Implementation of body worn cameras for police officers. Munich: Grin
Verlag.
Oliver, W. M. (2014). Policing America: An Introduction. Netherlands: Wolters Kluwer Law
& Business.