Police Technology

Knowing that they have a camera attached to them, this may cause the officer to act differently and pay more attention to following the rules. The same applies for citizens, knowing they are being recorded can cause them to take a different action. The camera causes people to experience self-awareness which causes them to avoid negative behavior in fear of being exposed.

The traffic camera has also come under fire for violating the rights of citizens. The traffic camera is mounted at an intersection and records traffic violations by taking a picture of the driver and the tag of the vehicle ("How Stuff Works," 2014). The traffic camera, also known as the red light camera, has been criticized as a revenue maker rather than a device used for safety. The other man concern is that the video captures the passengers of the vehicle and can be used as a surveillance camera by law enforcement or government officials. There have also been accusations that the device violates the constitutional rights of drivers, stating that the burden of proof should be on the state to determine the identity of the driver, and not the driver. There have been cases where a judge will agree and drop the charges such as a Pasco County, Florida case where the judge ruled that the camera was unconstitutional; however, the cameras still remain (Kilmas, 2012). The video from traffic cameras can also capture private moments such as a husband cheating on his wife, or someone not properly dressed, which can be used to in court or as a way of embarrassing someone.

The newest method of using video technology is the unmanned drone which comes in several forms. Widely used by the military, drones are aircraft that do not carry a human operator and are capable of flight...

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...ty. The impact of video surveillance has already been felt whether from red light cameras reducing traffic violations, or from CCTV identifying bombing suspects. The benefits of video surveillance are numerous but the concerns for possible violations of the Fourth Amendment are justified. With any technology, the possibility of abuse always exists. To ensure that the technology continues to benefit society without violating their basic rights, it is important to have a strong policy that dictates the proper use of the data. The law seeks an appropriate paradigm, but successful approaches to the use of video by police must include all interested parties (citizen groups, law enforcement and other public officials, civil rights lawyers) and their co-operation in the balancing of interests in safety and security, reduction of crime, and reasonable notions of privacy.