Topic > Benefits of Police Officers Wearing Body Cameras

Introduction: We live in a time where technology is evolving, like cameras. Everywhere we look, there will most likely be a camera recording everything. Most people take out their cell phones and film fights, arguments, or police brutality that always seem to appear on the news. If the public can record with their phones, should police officers do so too? In the law enforcement field, there is debate about whether or not police officers should wear body cameras. Although some people believe that police officers should not wear body cameras, there are many reasons why a police officer should wear a body camera. Body cameras tend to provide accurate documentation of what happened in the field. Body cameras can document everything about eyewitnesses, victims and suspects. Wearing a body camera could provide better evidence for an officer's arrest, better policing, better citizen behavior, and protection from false accusations. Using body-worn cameras is a great idea because it can capture a lot of information during an accident. Thesis Statement: All police officers should wear a body camera, regardless of the circumstances. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Topic Sentence: When police wear a body camera, it will be helpful to provide evidence against an officer. If a police officer commits a crime, such as shooting unarmed people or making racial slurs, they will be caught on camera. Evidence and Citations: Statistics say police brutality is the number one crime against police officers Police brutality is a crime that many police officers tend not to accept because there is no hard evidence. “Reliable statistics regarding the incidence of police brutality are difficult to obtain.” “In places where brutality is most severe, accountability systems are so inadequate that police enjoy virtual impunity, so much so that the frequency of brutality can only be inferred.” If police officers were to use body cameras, there is evidence that could be presented to the jury. “It can be the use of witness statements or even demonstrative evidence, such as a digital video depicting what is thought to have happened at the crime scene. Video evidence will aid in the arrest and prosecution of offenders because body cameras will report in real time and record events. By using a body-worn camera, the officer can capture many small details that they might have missed at the crime scene. Police body camera footage may give criminal defense lawyers a new look. Body cameras can also ensure that evidence is not tampered with. Topic sentence: If a police officer uses a body camera, there will be better behavior from police officers and citizens. People seem to act differently when they are recorded. But the question is, how will police officers react as they are booked into duty? Comment: Police officers who wear body cameras will improve more than officers who do not wear body cameras. Statistics have shown that police officers who wear body cameras have fewer conflicts and handle situations with more calm and professionalism. Body cameras can hold police officers accountable for their behavior, good or bad. According to the New York Times, “The number of complaints filedby civilians against officers has decreased by 90% compared to last year." This suggests that body cameras will help police officers better respond to a situation. Comment: Citizens often change their behavior towards a police officer when they are informed that they are being recorded. If people understood that police officers have a body camera, it would make them think twice before doing something in front of a police officer and trying to get away with it citizen trust today.Topic sentence:Body cameras will protect the public or the police from false accusations. Evidence and citations: a body camera can help with what can be heard and what happened in an accident protect officers from fraudulent charges by providing a visual record According to USA Today news, “A woman who said a Texas State Police trooper assaulted her could face charges after body cam showed no evidence of misconduct". Often a citizen and the police will have different accounts of what happened. Citizens can be falsely accused of a crime because of their race or age. For example, in the book “The Hate You Give,” a black male was accused of having a gun, but instead he had a brush in his hand and the police officer shot him. If the police officer had been wearing a body cam, it would have proven that the police lied about him having a gun and he would have been charged with murder. Body cameras will be useful in many cases if an officer needs to wear one. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Concluding Paragraph: Many people argue that police officers should not wear body cameras, but don't realize that the body camera can be an excellent asset. Police body cameras not only serve to benefit police officers and their departments, but also to protect civilians. The effectiveness of body cameras will protect the safety of the public and officers. They should wear cameras because the number of complaints would decrease. There would also be fewer crimes committed and fewer people harmed. However, the cameras will help the police department know what is going on and make sure they don't overdo their job. Police officers wearing a body camera is a good idea because it could capture evidence for a case. According to Laurent Sacharoff and Sarah Lustbader, “Cam footage sometimes shows that the defendant is innocent of the charge. It could show that the defendant did not resist arrest, or did not assault the officer, or that the defendant acted in self-defense against excessive force.” Would you want justice if someone was falsely accused of a crime? The only perception is to convince officers to wear body cameras. The changes would be good for officers and the public. Works Cited Chevigny, Paul G. "Police Brutality." Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict, edited by Lester R. Kurtz, Elsevier Science & Technology, 2nd edition, 2008. Creed Reference, http://lawsonstate.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search .credoreference.com/content/entry/estpeace/police_brutality/0?institutionId=4837. Accessed October 26, 2019. Henderson, Harry. "law enforcement and computers." Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology, Harry Henderson, Facts On File, 3rd edition, 2017. Crede Reference, http://lawsonstate.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/.