Officer Views of Body Worn Cameras and the Community: Results of a Quasi-Experimental Study

• In Event: Police Body-Worn Cameras: Perceptions and Outcomes

Abstract

Recent controversies surrounding police use of force have led to the prioritization of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in policing. With the support of state and federal funding, police departments across the nation are rapidly adopting BWCs in hopes of increasing transparency, decreasing incidents of excessive force—including deadly force, and improving policing in general. However, research on this new police technology lags behind. As such, the current study utilizes surveys of sworn personnel in a large department in the Midwest and a quasi-experimental design to assess whether, and to what degree, perceptions differ between officers wearing BWCs and those who are not wearing BWCs. Various officer perceptions are considered, including approval/disapproval of BWCs, and how officers felt BWCs would affect discretion, police and citizen behavior, and whether or not BWCs make policing easier. Additional analyses will consider how these perceptions of BWCs are influenced by views of the community, supervision, stress levels, and demographic characteristics of the officers.

Authors

• Dennis Rosenbaum, University of Illinois at Chicago

• William McCarty, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Mariana Palacios, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Ermus St. Louis, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Justin Escamilla, University of Illinois at Chicago