(Sep 10, 2016, 01:17 AM)Kung Fury Wrote: [ -> ]https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2...dy-cameras
After a legal battle between the Boston PD and police union, a judge has ruled that the police commissioner can force officers to wear body cameras. This came about because the Boston police department had a program where officers could volunteer to test body cameras, but they were instead assigned to officers after nobody volunteered. I don't see why the police union would object this since body cameras protect good citizens from bad cops and bad cops from good citizens. People regularly cite the technological capacity needed to store so much video as a challenge, but if the department has a plan to overcome those problems and is willing to carry them out, I dont see how the police union would have a legitimate objection. The only other people who would object to this are abusive police officers who don't want their actions to be revealed.
As I do agree with police body cameras I will however say there are many
counter arguments to wearing them. One being it may make the officer nervous and uneasy about doing his job. No that does not mean he's a bad cop but how would you feel if you had a manager staring over your shoulder all day every day at your job and monitoring everything that you do?
(Sep 11, 2016, 01:52 AM)Preditor Wrote: [ -> ] (Sep 10, 2016, 01:17 AM)Kung Fury Wrote: [ -> ]https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2...dy-cameras
After a legal battle between the Boston PD and police union, a judge has ruled that the police commissioner can force officers to wear body cameras. This came about because the Boston police department had a program where officers could volunteer to test body cameras, but they were instead assigned to officers after nobody volunteered. I don't see why the police union would object this since body cameras protect good citizens from bad cops and bad cops from good citizens. People regularly cite the technological capacity needed to store so much video as a challenge, but if the department has a plan to overcome those problems and is willing to carry them out, I dont see how the police union would have a legitimate objection. The only other people who would object to this are abusive police officers who don't want their actions to be revealed.
As I do agree with police body cameras I will however say there are many counter arguments to wearing them. One being it may make the officer nervous and uneasy about doing his job. No that does not mean he's a bad cop but how would you feel if you had a manager staring over your shoulder all day every day at your job and monitoring everything that you do?
You're right that it is a legitimate concern, but the Boston PD is running a pilot program to test the body cameras. Legitimate concerns like this one would come up in testing and hopefully be addressed. Unfortunately from my point of view I don't currently see another method of documenting police incidents.
My Police Department uses body cams, but they are completely voluntary. My department also suffers the exact opposite problem of Boston. There are more Officers wanting bodycams than bodycams. Officers here like them because it gives an unbiased view of the event that can't be achieved by reading reports or interviewing witnesses. It helps to de-escalate situations, because people think a bit harder when the Officer reminds them that they are being recorded. And if a complaint is made? Then the relevant video gets pulled up and reviewed. If the Officer is in the clear, that bodycam may have just saved their job.
Side note: We had a caucasian man file a complaint against 2 Officers because he got pulled over when he had 2 African-American ladies in the car with him. He said the Officers stated they were members of the KKK and harassed the women. The case was closed when the man named the Officers. One Officer is also African-American and the other is Hispanic. Not very good KKK candidates.
^^He forgot to mention that body cams also protect good cops.