In the UK, which is where officers first began experimenting with body cameras, many are finding that cameras are doing more than recording encounters, they are also having an effect on those who are being recorded. People are also behaving differently when they know they are being recorded, which could be a good thing.
That being said, many still have concerns about privacy when it comes to officers using body cams. Here are six of the most common questions that people concerned with privacy are asking according to a Denver news story that came out in August 2014.
- Exposing Victims: Police are called after terrible things happen to people. Could recording expose victims?
- Pressing Start: When do officers begin recording?
- When to Record: Do officers record only during certain situations or in every situation?
- False Accounts: Could footage, depending on when the record button is pressed, present a false or misleading account of an encounter?
- Announcing Recording: When does an officer announce that he is recording?
- Hiding Information: Laws governing when and where people can be recorded vary from state to state. Would a person who knows they are being recorded by a police officer be less likely to tell an officer much needed information?
Despite many of the sticky questions around using body cams, their presence in cases where they have already been being used and where departments are just starting to use them is positive.
What’s your opinion on the use of body cams for police officers?
Keeping communities safer through the accountability offered with body cams is a policy iRecord stands for.