Police Body-Worn Cameras: Assumptions And Implications

A review of research on police body-worn cameras (BWCs) reveals that the focus of most studies was narrow and dealt mainly with the possible deterrent effects of BWCs on use of force by police and (mis)behavior by citizens during police-citizen interactions. This paper draws on our published research and the available empirical evidence as well as a few relevant anecdotes to shed light on three woefully under-researched areas relevant to the current support and use of BWCs. These areas are: (1) the marketing and sale of body-camera technology to law enforcement, (2) the use of body-camera footage in police promotional materials, and, last, (3) the use of visual evidence in the courtroom, which increasingly includes materials from police BWCs. We argue that increased understanding of these three areas, supported by additional empirical data, is necessary for a more rounded and critical awareness of how and why BWCs are being implemented by law enforcement agencies. We conclude with a short discussion and offer a few suggestions for future research.