Should Police Wear Body Cameras?

Must police be held accountable for their actions? Would you want police to wear body cameras? In the world nowadays, the police without having physique cameras behave differently than the ones with them. The cameras are small, but they capture every little thing. Even though some men and women say that police need to have the proper to turn on or off the camera when they please, police must wear body cameras simply because it would back up the truth and cause them to use much less force, which would make citizens safer.

One explanation why police need to wear body cameras is the body cameras would back up the truth. If the police were arrested for shooting a person when they did not shoot that individual, the judge sees the clip and they can believe the officer’s statement. According to Opposing Viewpoints, the video recording tells the judge the truth. A single of the stories from Opposing Viewpoints entails a boy named Harrison. He was a bipolar, schizophrenic which is a psychiatric illness that is characterized by episodes of “mania.” His mom known as the police to help her take her son to the hospital simply because her son was not taking his medication. When his mom opened the door Harrison came to the door with a screwdriver in his hand. The police officers asked him to drop the screwdriver. Seconds right after asking Harrison to drop the screwdriver, they shot him. Harrison died of the gunshot wounds. The police officers were wearing a physique camera, but they did not show it to the judge so the judge had no concept if Harrison was attempting to attack the police officers with the screwdriver or not. The police officers had been not convicted of shooting Harrison. The police officers should have been arrested. For that reason, police officers ought to put on body cameras simply because they back up the truth.

Yet another purpose why police must wear physique cameras is the body cameras would cause them to use much less force. When the police are being watched, their behavior alterations and they are far more concerned about the citizens’ security and employing significantly less force. According to Vice News, a study from 2015 showed that complaints in San Diego dropped 40% and the use of force fell 46.5% when police started wearing physique cameras. This suggests that the physique cameras help manage what the police do and how they act. As an alternative of acting forceful, police had been far more peaceful. Similarly, the study also found in Rialto, California, complaints declined 88 %, and the use of force dropped 60% when the police began wearing body cameras. According to Vice News, in Rialto and in San Diego the use of force fell. The result of police wearing body cameras can decrease the number of complaints and reduce the level of force tremendously. Police need to wear body cameras due to the fact it will lead to them to use much less force.

On the other hand, some people say police should have the appropriate to turn on or off the camera when they want. This point of view makes sense due to the fact if a police officer goes to someone’s home to say that their loved ones member has passed away, they can turn it off since that information is only for the family. Also, police need to have the appropriate to turn the camera on or off when they please simply because of their privacy. Would you want a person to be watching every single move you make? Nevertheless, if they had option to select when to have the camera on or off, they may turn on or off the camera halfway by means of a conversation with someone, and might use excessive force. According to Vice News, Chad Marlow, the ACLU’s advocacy and policy counsel mentioned, “If police have discretion, and certain instances cameras are not turned on or turned on too late, people will see [police] manipulate body cameras. The suggestions for body cams need to [give police] no discretion whatsoever on when they ought to or should not be utilized.” Therefore, police ought to nevertheless put on physique cameras and not have the proper to turn on/off the camera when they want because it backs up the truth and causes them to use less force which would make the citizens safer.

According to Vice News, A police officer in New Mexico, shot an individual and he did not turn his camera on. To conclude, some people might say that police should have the appropriate to turn the camera on and off when they want, but if police have the choice they may well not protect the citizens safety.

Despite the fact that police ought to have the correct to turn on and off the camera when they please, police ought to nevertheless wear body cameras since they back up the truth and it would result in them to use less force, which would make the citizens safer. Do you want to be safer than you are now with armed police around?