Independent Police Complaint Bodies’ Use of Amateur Footage: Benefits and Drawbacks

• In Event: Comparative Perspectives on Complaints against the Police

Abstract

In the current context with the advent of new technologies, the question of the important role that images play in the dynamic between police institutions and the public have been widely studied by scholars. Less examined are the effects that the digital era causes for Independent Police Complaints Bodies (IPCBs). The proliferation of smartphones has facilitated the recording and sharing of videos of police actions on social media, often in the context of demonstrations or street level policing. These videos are likely to provide decisive contextual elements, counter-shots and new perspectives on the situation, which might be difficult to gather without recording tools.
The proliferation of images and recordings can be seen as a massive boon for IPCBs, especially those who are structurally weak where it might partially compensate for the lack of formal investigative powers or the lack of human and material resources. This paper asks whether the use of amateur video by the IPCB is a burden or an asset? More importantly, does amateur image allow the IPCB to get an encompassing picture of police misconduct and then permit them to assess police behaviour more globally and more systematically?

Author

• Morgane Herault, CESDIP-Université Versailles