Essay On Law Enforcement Body Cameras

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Law Enforcement Body Cameras
A police officer is sworn in on an oath to protect the rights of the people. They are responsible for patrolling city streets and neighborhoods, apprehending criminals, and also preventing crimes. A police officer is a person whose job is to enforce laws, investigate crimes, and make arrests (n.p). More familiar terms that a police officer may possibly be referred to are cop, policeman or policewoman, or law enforcer. A police officer’s job can be very difficult at times, but with the help of efficient equipment, their tasks can be much less difficult.
Law enforcement attire varies from squad to squad. For example, some officers are heavily equipped with gadgets, while others are not. For those who are equipped …show more content…

Rialto police launched a 12 month study in 2012, which included distributing body cameras to approximately half of their police officers. The Rialto police department noticed an 88% decline in complaints against officers (Carroll n.p). The police officers agree that body cameras offer better behavior from both sides of the camera. Law enforcement body cameras should be mandatory to all police officers, because they provide first-hand, live evidence of any encounter between a law officer and a civilian. These cameras have caused a dramatic decrease in the amount of complaints from civilians and also a drop in officer use of force. Speedy court proceedings are also a positive effect of body …show more content…

Officer Wolfe agrees that the use of force rate has decreased with the use of body cameras. For example, when realizing they are being filmed, the suspect tends to change their attitude, making speaking to them easier. However, Wolfe also states that a negative impact of the cameras would be the lack of detail or description from a victim or individual who wishes to remain anonymous (n.p). Considering there is a camera recording every move that an individual makes, this negative outcome is likely. In fact, most victims are currently in a different state of mind, therefore, when noticing the cameras they tend to keep quiet. The Scott County police body cameras are used at most, if not all, occasions with an individual and also any event throughout an officer’s shift (Wolfe

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