Body Worn Cameras: Views from Officers and Citizens

• In Event: Perspectives on Crime Fighting Technology

Abstract

At a time when many communities are questioning the tactics of their police officers and some departments are facing dips in, and in some cases crises of, public trust, many agencies are turning to body worn cameras (BWC) to increase transparency, accountability, and legitimacy. While the research on BWC is growing, there is limited information about community or police officer support for body worn cameras. Here we compare and contrast sworn officer and civilian perspectives on body worn camera policy and expected benefits of the technology.

Authors

• Christie Gardiner, California State University, Fullerton

• Phillip Kopp, California State University, Fullerton