A Mixed-Methods Examination of Body-Worn Camera Policies Through Various Texas Police Agency Types and Sizes

• In Event: Use of Body-Worn Cameras, Social Media, and Overall New Technology by Police

Abstract

Purpose: The proliferation of BWCs in policing has also led to a considerable amount of research on the devices and their impacts, with the majority published in the past five years. Because officer attitudes and behaviors have been found to be impacted by different types of administrative police policies, it would be beneficial to examine the content of agency BWC policies. Additionally, in a recent survey of Texas police agencies, most felt their policies could be improved through standardization of policy contents.
Data/Methods: Using mixed methods, the current study seeks to address whether body-worn camera policy components are statistically different based on multiple agency types and sizes in a sample of Texas police agencies. The quantitative component examines state-mandated policy contents through Chi Square tests to determine statistical differences. The qualitative component uses content analyses to provide examples of these differences between agency types and sizes.
Results: The completed results are yet to be determined.
Implications: The conclusions and implications expect to show the importance of increased standardization of body-worn camera policies. The results will also contribute to prior literature as one of the first studies on varied agency compositions when examining police policies.

Author

• Alexis Rain Rockwell, University of South Alabama