The Recent Rise of Police Car and Body Cameras

Technology plays a more important role in our lives today than it ever has before, making it easy for anyone with a smartphone to take video recordings at any moment. As video recording technology becomes more accessible, police agencies across the country are also beginning to integrate these devices into their line of work. Police car video cameras and police body cameras are currently being implemented at an astonishing rate, as more law enforcement departments realize the importance of collecting accurate and unbiased video evidence during encounters with civilians. Do All Police Cars Have Video Camera Systems? There is no federal law that requires police agencies to equip their vehicles with police car video cameras or body cameras, and even most states don’t currently have statewide mandates for this equipment. In the past, police car camera systems were used most frequently for routine traffic stops, and about 72% of state and highway police cars are equipped with these systems today. That said, more and more agencies, and even some states, are starting to require the use of car and body cameras for officers on duty. Back in September, for example, the governor of New Jersey signed legislation requiring police car video cameras to be installed in all new local agency cars. Many local law enforcement departments across the nation are also making it mandatory for their officers to wear body cameras while on duty. Why Are More Police Agencies Using Cameras? Police car video cameras and body cameras have a number of benefits not only for police officers, but for the public as well. First of all, this technology has been shown to improve police professionalism and allows police agencies to identify and deal with inappropriate officer behavior. These cameras also allow officers to review tapes of themselves on duty, helping them to improve safety precautions on the job. A big push for police cameras came after the police shooting in Ferguson, MO earlier this year, because there was no evidence of what took place leading up to the event. Car and body cameras provide an unbiased source of evidence that can be used to accurately show what happened during police and civilian encounters. Often times in situations like the incident in Ferguson, not knowing what happened is the greatest cause of controversy between the public and the police. Having video evidence gives a clear depiction of what happened and can reduce the risk of riots and further violence. While they were not always a widely adopted policy, more and more local police agencies are realizing the benefits that car and body cameras can bring to their communities.