Police Officer Body Cams: Current Benefits

Body cams are becoming increasingly common in police departments across the United States, and for good reason. They're not only useful in recording important events, they can make a positive impact when it comes to both officer and civilian accountability. If you haven't already heard about the benefits of police body cameras and how they might improve in the future, you're in the right place. Let's take a look at some current benefits.

Current Benefits

Body cams are placed right on a police officer's shirt, vest, or coat. Unlike dash cams, this camera goes with the officer wherever they go. The dash cam sits right in the car and only goes where the car goes. This gives those watching a clear picture of what happened when an officer goes to an incident. Since it does help give a clear picture of what went on, they can be super helpful during investigations. If one side of an incident is disputing what happened, the video can be played back and show exactly what went on.

Body cams can also encourage those wearing them to be on their best behavior. A Pew Research Center survey shows that 50% of officers said that body cameras would make police more likely to act appropriately. When the officer is wearing the cam, they know that someone is watching on the other end. If they do something wrong or something inappropriate, whoever watches the video will see it happen. It also gives the officer a chance to evaluate their performance. Sure, they might not have done something wrong, but they could have done something better. They can learn with the use of the cam.

Since body cams were introduced into the police force many years ago, police officers have found themselves having more success with difficult situations. People and police officers tend to feel calmer when they know a camera is being used. While many fear that their privacy is at risk, departments across the country and working to find new ways to make everyone feel comfortable around the device.

Body cams are key for police departments in many difficult situations. They can come in handy when trying to figure out what happened during an incident and can calm people down.