Body Cameras and the Effectiveness of Police Brutality
As the world become more technologically advanced new innovative gadgets are designed to better equip for the current times. Last week we read the article A new report shows the limits of police body cameras which shed light on a police officer who was finally fired after he had repeatedly turned off his body camera just before using force which eventually lead to the killing of a teen girl (Balko, 2016). The article also expresses the advancement we will see in more large police department utilizing body cameras in the future (Balko, 2016). So, for the final assignment with everything going on in the world right now I decided to research: do police wearing body cameras reduce the risk of police brutality?
Although this has been an ongoing issue with Black people getting wrongfully killed by the police for many years, 2020 has sparked a movement. A moment where real change can happen if the right steps are taken and the peoples voices are heard. In 2015 President Obama donated $23 million in federal grants for body cameras for police departments, leading to half of the department’s ability to obtain body cameras by 2016 (Ness, 2020). States with much smaller budgets were given a second more affordable option which was a gun mounted camera that will be activated when the officer pulled his weapon (Ness, 2020). This alternative allows for advanced technology for departments with much lower budgets.
When it comes to the effectiveness of police wearing body cameras, “Andrea Headley, an assistant professor of public affairs at The Ohio State University, who looks at the relationships between police and communities, is the lead author on a study involving body cameras in Hallandale Beach, Florida she states, “None of the results reached statistical significance,” (Ness, 2020). Another study suggests, “according to a study published in March by George Mason University’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy. The study, which looked at 70 other body-worn camera studies published through June 2018, found the cameras have not had statistically significant effects on most measures of officer and citizen behavior or citizens’ views of police,” (Ness, 2020).
“Over 10 years, from 2005 to 2014, only 48 officers were charged with murder or manslaughter for use of lethal force, though more than 1,000 people a year are killed by police in the United States,” (Zuckerman, 2020). Zuckerman speaks on the recent killing of George Floyd stating, “Officer Chauvin knew this, because it’s impossible to work in law enforcement in the US and not know this. The institutions that protect police officers from facing legal consequences for their actions—internal affairs divisions, civil service job protections, police unions, “reasonable fear”—work far better than the institutions that hold them responsible for abuses,” (Zuckerman, 2020). While on the other hand one study shows that 93 percent of camera footage caught is used in prosecutions of civilians (Maciag, 2019). Three British studies lead to a similar conclusion of cameras “raising clearance rates and producing more guilty pleas,” (Maciag, 2019).
Over time the number of departments that utilize body worn cameras has grown which leads to the issue of most of the video footage taken never getting reviewed (Verger, 2020). Which allows for cases of unjust killings to be swept under the rug and forgotten about. The impact of social media has been a huge outlet providing people the opportunity to speak out and share their stories about how they themselves, their family, friend, or being a bystander has impacted them. For too long systematic racism in the justice system has oppressed people of color and even the power of video can’t change that. But it does allow the opportunity for those to be more educated on the matter and take the time to understand that this isn’t something that happens every so often . As protests continue each day since the killing of George Floyd on May 25th we see a continuation of police unjust killings and body worn cameras still being turned off. Rayshard Brooks, 27, of Atlanta was killed on June 12th by a police officer who’s body camera was turned off while the incident occurred.
Overall, when it comes to the question of: do police wearing body cameras reduce the risk of police brutality? Based on the studies referred to throughout this essay, the continuance of unjust killings and my own personal experience as a black woman and opinion no matter how technologically advanced and structured we get things won’t truly change until structural change is made. Before putting money into technology put money into training your officers properly is my suggestion. There have been instances where lives were taken due to an officer not knowing how to use a taser or pepper spray so they draw their gun. Also, putting money towards building relationships with the people in the community you are supposed to be serving and protecting. White privileged has been a concept ingrained for so long by many that its not going to be a quick fix so starting at the root is the true way to lower these unforeseen circumstances.
Amani Edmondson 
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