Should Police Officers Use Body Cameras?

“Following the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, and a grand jury’s decision to not indict the police officer involved in that shooting, protests erupted across the country and community leaders called for all police officers to be equipped with body cameras.” There has been many incidents with people police officers killing young people for no reason for no reason. In most cases officers say it was an act of protect because the suspect was going to “hurt them” so they acted first. Nobody really knows what really happened besides the suspect and officer, so why not know the truth? Police officers should be required to use body cameras because it’ll show what actually happen when they pull someone over or use a weapon. Also, officers should wear body cameras because officers may just forget what happened when it’s time to do the police report.
Police officers should be required to use body cameras because it’ll show what actually happen when they pull someone over or use a weapon.
Based on “Source Text 2: SIRS DATABASE---At Issue: Police and Body Cameras”, it states “Those in favor of having all police officers wear body cameras claim that their use will reduce the use of force by police officers…when the footage reveals unambiguous misconduct, officers would be foolish to file dishonest reports.” In other words, what this means is that with officers knowing they’re being recorded they won’t act out and the act of killing will be reduce. Moreover, since their being recorded they can’t lie about not following conduct guidelines for their job. All and all, body cameras should be used to provide valid information about happens at a crime scene or
arrest. Another reasons officers should wear body cameras is because officers may not remember what happened when it’s time for them to write a police report. According to “Source Text 3: The Right Body Camera Policy”, it states “Police officers cannot be expected to encode and retain every one of the countless details that make up a use-of-force incident…Exposure to the video footage will almost certainly enable them to provide richer and more accurate accounts of the incident.” In similar fashion, the body cameras will for sure help officers remember what happened and can give true events that led up to them having to use a weapon. To sum up, body cameras are beneficial because it can help the officers remember incidents. However, on the flip side police officers shouldn’t be required to wear body cameras. Police officers shouldn’t be required to wear body cameras because it may make the officers feel like that can’t be trusted. The author of “The Right Body Camera Policy” states “It would send a stinging message of distrust. Psychologists have demonstrated that distrust sets in motion a dynamic that breeds dishonesty. Likewise, researchers have shown that institutionalized distrust can foster cynicism that brings about violations of an organization’s standards and practices.” What this means is that officers will feel that can’t be trusted while doing their job so they might start lying and act out. Moreover, officers should wear body cameras. In conclusion, police officers should be required to wear body cameras because it’ll show what actually happens when they pull someone over or use a weapon. Also, they should use body cameras because officers may forget things that happened when it’s time to do a police report. Since officers know they’re being recorded there won’t be any rules broken and every piece of information is correct. In the future, the police departments should have a vote of how officers feel about body cameras.