DEROTAG

Should We Reassess Police Body Cameras Based on Latest Study A major new study of body cameras and the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) that was released last month found that the wearing of body cameras had no statistically significant effect on the number of use-of-force incidents and civilian complaints recorded. How much of a reassessment of body cameras should this study prompt? First of all, let�s note that this study was only focused on one aspect of body camera police oversight � their deterrent effect on officers inclined to engage in abusive or unprofessional behavior � which is only one possible benefit of the technology from a civil liberties perspective. It does not have implications for other potential benefits of body cameras such as resolution of factual disputes in critical incidents or other situations where complaints have been lodged against officers, better training, better overall police transparency and accountability, and increased trust betwe...