Body camera
In a small but positive study, University of Southern Florida (USF) conducted a study with the Orlando Police Department.
The results were positive.
USF researchers and the Orlando Police Department teamed up in March 2014 to study the results of 46 officers who were equipped with body cameras and 43 officers who did not wear the device.
When the study concluded in February 2015, researchers discovered that body cameras reduced the number of times police officers used force by 53 percent and dropped the number of complaints against officers by 65 percent.
We all know that the real issue with law enforcement these days is the safety of citizens. However, with the amount of pushback by police unions concerning wearing body cameras at all, having positive, pro-law enforcement reasons to wear these devices is not a bad way of getting everybody to agree that they may be useful in repairing the cycle of escalation and violence between law enforcement and the
communities they serve.
The majority of the officers assigned to wear body cameras want to continue to wear them and believe that the cameras should be used department-wide, officials said.
“We believe the use of body cameras will strengthen community trust, improve accountability and transparency, protect our officers from false complaints and provide valuable evidence for prosecutors,” Police Chief John Mina said.
In September, the Department of Justice awarded the agency a $500,000 grant to purchase nearly 450 cameras, which cost $500 to $700 each.
As with any tool, it is only one part in trying to formulate a solution to the problems of police violence and overreach. Body cameras offer their
own set of loopholes for those corrupt enough to exploit them. But, having data is better than not having data, and if it saves just one life and one family's agony, it is worth the cost.