Dash Cameras For Police Cars: Protecting the Community As Well As Cops Themselves

Police officers have one of the toughest and most thankless jobs in the world. Police officers put themselves in danger everyday to serve the common good. The public owes a considerable amount of gratitude to police officers for the tireless work they do. The public also owes them support. Police departments throughout the country manage an estimated 780,000 police officers. They are always in search for the best equipment, resources, and training available to better serve the cops and, by extension, the public. One tool increasingly used by law enforcement nowadays are police car video cameras (otherwise known as “dash cams”). Police car video cameras are used by local, state, and federal agencies to better protect both the public and the officers themselves. In car camera systems aid police officers in not only monitoring certain situations but also in training. Various studies have indicated that the largest benefit of having police car video cameras is police safety. In car police video systems enable law enforcement to review police procedures and conduct. They allow officers to review anything pressing that may have happened in, for example, a traffic stop or a call. By watching recorded video of police incidences and transactions, police officers can judge and improve upon the ways they conduct law enforcement. They can modify or improve police procedures in dangerous situations, and can identify telling signs of potential issues. Police car video cameras also allow law enforcement and government officials to address potential inappropriate behavior, which has recently caused much controversy in the news. The recorded videos can also be released to the public in order to increase transparency and accountability. Police car video cameras are becoming more common in squad cars throughout the country. Police deserve the best. Dash cams, though not a total end-all solution, can definitely aid law enforcement in their necessary and noble jobs on behalf of the public at large.