Police body cams: is a video worth more than a thousand words?

• Author: Williams, Rich
• Position: Law Enforcement

South Carolina Senator Gerald Malloy (D) sponsored the nation's first successful legislation to require the statewide use of body cameras by police. For him, the reasons to pursue the bill were clear. "Body cameras protect police, protect the public and protect the truth," he says.

The Palmetto State was one of 40 to consider body-camera measures in 2015 and among the 14 to enact a law.

Malloy, after watching nationwide protests over controversial deaths in police encounters, knew the debate needed to shift from the street to the statehouse. "We need to change the culture in policing. We know that civilians and officers die in these encounters, and we know that needs to change. These videos can help us do that."

Learning the Pros and Cons

The benefits of body cameras were brought to Malloy's attention by police chiefs already using them. "From their experience, I know citizen complaints go down, use of force goes down, and the videos provide good tools for training," Malloy says.

Body-camera opponents are concerned about loss of privacy, abuse of public surveillance and a potential chilling effect on free expression.

In addition, police officers worry that recordings could be misused by supervisors in employment decisions and could limit their discretion, even in showing leniency for minor infractions.

To address these uncertainties, five states passed laws to study the use of body cameras. In Arizona, for example. Senator John Kavanagh (R) is co-chairing a newly created task force that includes representatives from media associations, law enforcement groups and the community. "The deeper I get into it, the more I realize how complex the issues with body cameras are." Kavanagh wants the committee to consider the "full scope of what the relevant issues are, and then determine for which issues, if any, a statewide policy is necessary."

At the same time, camera research is underway in several city police departments. The Laura and John Arnold Foundation, for example, has funded several studies, including a couple with the Spokane, Washington, and Tempe, Arizona, police departments. Researchers are examining the effectiveness of body cameras as training tools, their impact on judicial practices, and how they are perceived by officers and the public. The foundation also supports studies in Pittsburgh; Anaheim and Long Beach, California; and Arlington, Texas, as well as a cost-benefit analysis of body-worn camera programs. And the National...