Departments That Use Body Cameras Can Help Themselves and Their Communities

There has been plenty of news in the media touting the benefits of police body cameras. But other than providing reliable footage of encounters with police, what other practical purposes do they serve? Both police body cameras and dash cameras are being more widely used in communities nationwide. In part, these cameras are being adopted in response to unfortunate and sometimes tragic situations, but there are more benefits than many people realize. They make a police officer’s job more efficient. By being able to refer back to video or audio evidence, an officer will be able to save time when transcribing notes about specific incidents. Even a police officer can forget important details of what they saw at a particular scene, especially if he or she had a busy night on patrol. Having the footage to refer back to makes the job much easier, less stressful, and more accurate. If any of the incidents that are reported are questionable, supervisors and courts can also refer to video or audio evidence from the cameras to verify the events that unfolded. Body and dash cameras help build trust between the community and police departments. Too many Americans have lost faith in our justice system, particularly the police. With a camera recording interactions, both police and civilians are less likely to use force against one another. That’s especially important since so many of the complaints against police are found to be false only after bringing unwanted attention to the department. In 2012, a study polled members of 785 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and found that 85% of respondents thought that body cams would reduce false claims of police misconduct. Plus, when citizens know that they are being watched, they are more likely to be comfortable interacting with a police officer. They know that if something bad were to unfold, that it would be documented. In short, body cameras give both officers and citizens a sense of security. Cameras can help de-escalate dangerous situations. On a macro level, when communities don’t fear police officers, there can be a more unified effort to address issues within the community. The purpose of the police isn’t to cause harm, it’s to prevent it. On a more personal level, by reducing fear on both sides of the interaction, cameras can help de-escalate otherwise stressful encounters. When we work together and foster transparency with our actions, everyone reaps the rewards. To help improve community relations within your department, try using body cameras and dash cams. Through 10-8 Video, you can order some of the highest performing and most reliable police cameras on the market today.