Looking Up, Looking Down: Comparing Attitudes of Body-worn Cameras Between Police Officers and Command Staff

• In Event: Critical Issues in 21st Century Policing

Abstract

The study of police culture has consistently drawn a distinction between the attitudes and perceptions of those at the top of the organization and those at the lowest level. These works have included a variety of issues important to the command and control of officers’ daily work, including the introduction of certain organizational changes. The current study follows this theme by comparing respondents’ attitudes concerning the implementation of body-worn cameras from two samples: the first, a convenience sample of rank-and-file officers and the second, a sample of command-level officers attending the FBI National Academy. The analysis explores differences in perception of the value of this new technology between the two groups. Policy implications and recommendations for future research are addressed.

Authors

• David R. White, Southern Illinois University

• Michael Kyle, Southern Illinois University

• Joseph Schafer, Southern Illinois University

• David Ayeni, Southern Illinois University