Officer Perspectives on Being Filmed by Citizens

• In Event: Technology and Policing

Abstract

Viral videos of police use of force incidents have had ripple effects, not merely in the communities where these events occurred, but nationwide. While the effects of these videos on police departments are visible in firings, placing officers on administrative leave, and changes in policy regarding the issuance of body cameras—the effects on individual police officers are less clear. In this presentation, we discuss the preliminary findings from a series of focus groups conducted with police officers in a Midwest city. These focus groups centered on the impact of being filmed by citizens. The implications for training and policy are discussed.

Authors

• Colleen Kadleck, University of Nebraska

• Danielle Slakoff, University of Nebraska at Omaha