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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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Results for camera technology
14 results foundAuthor: Ramirez, Eugene P. Title: A Report on Body Worn Cameras Summary: Technology is changing the role of law enforcement on a daily basis. The latest technology is having a profound impact on policies and procedures, on weapons systems, and even on how officers perform their daily duties. Yet, even with the latest technology available, the actions and tactics of law enforcement are constantly being criticized by the media and members of the public. Oftentimes juries return large verdicts against law enforcement agencies. However, a new law enforcement tool may actually reduce exposure to litigation and unwarranted citizens' complaints. A new paradigm for law enforcement should be one of accountability and transparency. One current way to assist law enforcement in being more accountable is by requiring officers to use a Body Worn Camera ("Body Cam" or "BWC"). The implementation of Body Cams is currently causing a worldwide debate across groups such as the Police Foundation, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum and the American Civil Liberties Union. This one aspect of law enforcement is poised to have huge ramifications for how law enforcement interacts with its citizenry. Both law enforcement and local communities stand to benefit from the deployment of BWCs. There is no doubt that policies dealing with BWCs will become living and breathing documents that will evolve as the boundaries of this new technology are pushed. News media are replete with stories, almost on a daily basis, regarding law enforcement agencies across the world that now require an officer to use a BWC. Once again, California leads the way in deploying this new technology to help combat crime and reduce the exposure to litigation. Law enforcement agencies around the world are now delving into using BWCs. The decision to implement the use of body cams is merely an extension of the use of dash-mounted video cameras and audio recorders, both of which have been in use for years. The use of BWCs will prove to be of great value to those agencies who deploy the new technology. However, the decision to deploy BWCs is not without controversy. In the expectation that many agencies will determine that the deployment of BWCs is the right thing to do, this article will review suggested policy language, citing to both a recent PERF Conference and a recently released ACLU study on the use of BWCs. Details: Los Angeles: Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP, 2014. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2014 at: http://www.parsac.org/parsac-www/pdf/Bulletins/14-005_Report_BODY_WORN_CAMERAS.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.parsac.org/parsac-www/pdf/Bulletins/14-005_Report_BODY_WORN_CAMERAS.pdf Shelf Number: 133179 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamera TechnologyLaw Enforcement TechnologyPolice TechnologyPolice Use of Force |
Author: White, Michael D. Title: Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras: Assessing the Evidence Summary: Body-worn cameras represent the latest technological innovation for law enforcement. The perceived benefits of these cameras are far-ranging and touch on core elements of the police mission, including enhanced police legitimacy, reduced use of force, and fewer citizen complaints. Criticism of the technology centers on equally important issues, such as violations of citizen and officer privacy, and on enormous investments in terms of cost and resources. Unfortunately, there have been few balanced discussions of body-worn cameras and even fewer empirical studies of the technology in the field. As such, Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras: Assessing the Evidence provides a thorough review of the merits and drawbacks regarding the technology and assesses the available empirical evidence on each of those claims. Overall, this publication articulates the key questions surrounding the technology and provides a framework for informed decision-making regarding adoption and empirical evaluation of body-worn cameras. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, OJP Diagnostic Center, 2014. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2014 at: https://ojpdiagnosticcenter.org/sites/default/files/spotlight/download/Police%20Officer%20Body-Worn%20Cameras.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://ojpdiagnosticcenter.org/sites/default/files/spotlight/download/Police%20Officer%20Body-Worn%20Cameras.pdf Shelf Number: 133180 Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras Camera Technology Law Enforcement Technology Police BehaviorPolice LegitimacyPolice Technology Police Use of Force |
Author: Police Foundation Title: Self-awareness to being watched and socially-desirable behavior: A field experiment on the effect of body-worn cameras on police use-of-force Summary: The Rodney King story is a potent reminder about the enormous power that police officers have and how it can sometimes be abused. That was the case of an African-American who was repeatedly beaten by Los Angeles police officers, and was arguably the impetus for the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The King incident signifies just how disproportionate use-of-force could shutter the reputation of the police and lead into social cataclysm. Importantly, there are still somewhat similar cases taking place1, despite efforts to stop such behavior through better training and prosecution of rogue officers. Are these incidents unavoidable? A voluminous body of research across various disciplines has shown that when humans become self-conscious about being watched, they often alter their conduct. Accumulated evidence further suggests that individuals who are aware that they being-observed often embrace submissive or commonly-accepted behavior, particularly when the observer is a rule-enforcing entity. What is less known, however, is what happens when the observer is not a "real person", and whether being videotaped can have an effect on aggression and violence. For instance, would the Rodney King incident be avoided had the officers known that they are being videotaped? Would frequency of police use of force be reduced if all interactions between officers and members of the public were under known electronic surveillance? We have tested whether police body-worn cameras would lead to socially-desirable behavior of the officers who wear them. Individualized HD cameras were "installed" on the officers' uniforms, and systematically-recorded every police-public interaction. We randomly-assigned a year's worth of police shifts into experimental and control shifts within a large randomized-controlled-field-experiment conducted with the Rialto-Police-Department (California). We investigated the extent to which cameras effect human behavior and, specifically, reduce the use of police force. Broadly, we have put to test the implication of self-awareness to being observed on compliance and deterrence theory in real-life settings, and explored the results in the wider context of theory and practice. Details: Washington, DC: Police Foundation, 2013. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2014 at: http://www.policefoundation.org/sites/g/files/g798246/f/201303/The%20Effect%20of%20Body-Worn%20Cameras%20on%20Police%20Use-of-Force.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.policefoundation.org/sites/g/files/g798246/f/201303/The%20Effect%20of%20Body-Worn%20Cameras%20on%20Police%20Use-of-Force.pdf Shelf Number: 133308 Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras Camera Technology Law Enforcement Technology Police AccountabilityPolice Technology Police Use of Force |
Author: ODS Consulting Title: Flexible Research Contract: Evaluation in the Community Safety Unit. Body Worn Video Projects in Paisley and Aberdeen: Self Evaluation Summary: 1.1 Body worn video (BWV) camera systems are now used by a significant number of police forces and warden services across the UK. In 2010 they were being used in more than 40 police force areas. The systems are hands free and provide video and audio recording which are time and date stamped. They make it possible to record offences and to capture evidence. 1.2 In Renfrewshire, body worn video cameras were trialled (using just three head mounted cameras) in 2006/07. A larger scale approach (using 38 cameras) was introduced in June 2009 and is still in operation. This programme was reviewed by Strathclyde Police after the first eight months of operation (June 2009-January 2010).1 1.3 In Aberdeen, a pilot programme using body worn videos started in June 2010. This was reviewed after three months of operation.2 Since the review, the programme has been extended. 1.4 Those involved in the two areas (Strathclyde Police; Renfrewshire Council Environmental Warden Service; and Grampian Police) sought support to assist them to scope and evaluate the business benefits of using body worn video cameras. 1.5 They applied to the Scottish Government‟s Community Safety Unit for evaluation support from their Evaluation Support Framework Contract. The application was successful and the Community Safety Unit appointed ODS Consulting to provide an agreed modest level of evaluation support. 1.6 The evaluation work was overseen by a Project Board, made up of senior staff from Strathclyde Police, Grampian Police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. A Project Team, including operational staff from each of these organisations and from Renfrewshire Council, led in the evidence gathering to support the evaluation. 1.7 The evaluation draws together information from the previous reviews which have been undertaken; information produced in Scottish Government reports; fresh information gathered in each area; and information from the Criminal Justice Board‟s Management Information System. Details: Glasgow: ODS Consulting, 2011. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 15, 2015 at: http://www.bwvsg.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/BWV-Scottish-Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.bwvsg.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/BWV-Scottish-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 134405 Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras (Scotland)Camera Technology Law Enforcement Technology Police Technology Police Use of Force Video Cameras |
Author: Roy, Allyson Title: On-Officer Video Cameras: Examining the Effects of Police Department Policy and Assignment on Camera Use and Activation Summary: On-officer video camera (OVC) technology in the field of policing is developing at a rapid pace. Large agencies are beginning to adopt the technology on a limited basis, and a number of cities across the United States have required their police departments to adopt the technology for all first responders. Researchers have just begun to examine its effects on citizen complaints, officers' attitudes, and street-level behavior. To date, however, there is no research examining how departmental policy and assignment of officers to a camera program affect officer behavior and opinions of the cameras. Policy and assignment have the potential to impact how officers react to the technology and can affect their interactions with citizens on a daily basis. This study measures camera activations by line officers in the Mesa Police Department during police-citizen encounters over a ten-month period. Data from 1,675 police-citizen contacts involving camera officers were subject to analysis. Net of controls (i.e., the nature of the crime incident, how it was initiated, officer shift, assignment, presence of bystanders and backup, and other situational factors), the bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine how departmental policy (mandatory versus discretionary activation policy) and officer assignment (voluntary versus mandatory assignment) affected willingness to activate the cameras, as well as officer and citizen behavior during field contacts. Details: Phoenix, AZ: Arizona State University, 2014. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed January 15, 2015 at: http://urbanaillinois.us/sites/default/files/attachments/officer-video-cameras-roy.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://urbanaillinois.us/sites/default/files/attachments/officer-video-cameras-roy.pdf Shelf Number: 134406 Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras Camera Technology Law Enforcement Technology Police TechnologyVideo Cameras |
Author: Lum, Cynthia Title: Existing and Ongoing Body Worn Camera Research: Knowledge Gaps and Opportunities Summary: Recent use-of-force events have led law enforcement agencies, citizens, civil rights groups, city councils, and even the President to push for the rapid adoption of body-worn camera (BWC) technology. In a period of less than a year, BWCs transformed from a technology that received little attention by many police leaders and scholars to one that has become rapidly prioritized, funded, and diffused into local policing. At the same time, this rapid adoption of BWCs is occurring within a low information environment; researchers are only beginning to develop knowledge about the effects, both intentional and unintentional, of this technology. Much more research is needed to understand the intended and unintended impacts and consequences of cameras. Details: Fairfax, VA: Center for Evidence-Based Crime policy, George Mason University, 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2015 at: http://cebcp.org/wp-content/technology/BodyWornCameraResearch.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://cebcp.org/wp-content/technology/BodyWornCameraResearch.pdf Shelf Number: 137414 Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras Camera Technology CamerasLaw Enforcement Technology Police Accountability Police SurveillancePolice Use of Force |
Author: Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Title: Police Body Worn Cameras: A Policy Scorecard Summary: In the wake of high-profile incidents in Ferguson, Staten Island, North Charleston, Baltimore, and elsewhere, law enforcement agencies across the country are rapidly adopting body-worn cameras for their officers. One of the main selling points for these cameras is their potential to provide transparency into some police interactions, and to help protect civil rights, especially in heavily policed communities of color. But accountability is not automatic. Whether these cameras make police more accountable - or simply intensify police surveillance of communities - depends on how the cameras and footage are used. That's why The Leadership Conference, together with a broad coalition of civil rights, privacy, and media rights groups, developed shared Civil Rights Principles on Body Worn Cameras. Our principles emphasize that "[w]ithout carefully crafted policy safeguards in place, there is a real risk that these new devices could become instruments of injustice, rather than tools for accountability." This scorecard evaluates the body-worn camera policies currently in place in major police departments across the country. Our goal is to highlight promising approaches that some departments are taking, and to identify opportunities where departments could improve their policies. Details: Washington, DC: Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, 2016. 208p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 25, 2016 at: https://www.bwcscorecard.org/static/pdfs/LCCHR_Upturn-BWC_Scorecard-v2.03.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.bwcscorecard.org/static/pdfs/LCCHR_Upturn-BWC_Scorecard-v2.03.pdf Shelf Number: 140036 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamera TechnologyCamerasLaw Enforcement TechnologyPolice AccountabilityPolice SurveillancePolice Use of Force |
Author: Bud, Thomas Title: The Rise of Body-Worn Camera Programs in Canada and the United States: An Extension of the Surveillant Assemblage Summary: This thesis examines the extent to which body-worn cameras programs in Canada and the U.S. befit the notion of counter-law. The research is theoretically based on Ericson's (2007a) framework of counter-law and the surveillant assemblage. The results indicate that body-worn camera programs can be considered an extension of the existing surveillant assemblage. In the U.S., numerous legislative amendments exempted body-worn cameras from certain legal requirements and thus facilitated their integration into existing surveillance networks. In Canada, legal amendments were not enacted through counter-law; nevertheless, the broadness and inconsistency of existing legislation allowed body-worn camera programs to become part of the surveillant assemblage. This thesis also contributes to refinements of counter-law I and the surveillant assemblage by analyzing variations in how these concepts apply to localized contexts of uncertainty. Details: Windsor, ONT: University of Windsor, 2016. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed August 26, 2016 at: http://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/5722/ Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/5722/ Shelf Number: 140048 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamera TechnologyCamerasLaw Enforcement TechnologyPolice AccountabilityPolice Surveillance |
Author: Harris, David A. Title: Picture This: Body Worn Video Devices ('Head Cams') as Tools for Ensuring Fourth Amendment Compliance by Police Summary: A new technology has emerged with the potential to increase police compliance with the law and to increase officers' accountability for their conduct. Called "body worn video" (BWV) or "head cams," these devices are smaller, lighter versions of the video and audio recording systems mounted on the dash boards of police cars. These systems are small enough that they consist of something the size and shape of a cellular telephone earpiece, and are worn by police officers the same way. Recordings are downloaded directly from the device into a central computer system for storage and indexing, which protects them from tampering and assures a defensible chain of custody. This article explores the good that BWV can do for both the police and members of the public, particularly how these recordings might play a role in assuring that officers comply with Fourth Amendment search and seizure rules. Field tests of BWV in Britain have shown that police used the devices to keep records and record evidence, and that the devices were a uniquely effective bulwark against false complaints. Coupled with a requirement that every citizen encounter involving a search or seizure be recorded, and a presumption that without a recording the factfinder must draw inferences in favor of the defendant, BWV can help resolve disputes over search and seizure activities, and give the public a heretofore unattainable degree of assurance that police officers enforcing the law obey it as they do so. While BWV is certainly no panacea, and presents significant issues of tampering and reliability, it can help bring accountability and rule following to an aspect of police behavior that has largely proven resistant to it. Details: Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2010. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: U. of Pittsburgh Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2010-13 : Accessed August 26, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1596901 Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1596901 Shelf Number: 140049 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamera TechnologyCamerasLaw Enforcement TechnologyPolice AccountabilityPolice SurveillancePolice Use of Force |
Author: Guerin, Paul Title: City of Albuquerque Police Department On Body Camera System Research Summary: This research study has several goals. First, to document the use of the OBCS, second, to provide information useful for informing the development of a policy regarding the use of the OBCS and third, to provide information that will inform a method to audit the developed policy and the use of the system by APD personnel. Currently it is not known how officers actually use the OBCS in the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). According to an APD special order authorized May 4, 2012, officers were required to use their OBCS during every citizen contact that is the result of a dispatched call for service, arrest warrant, search warrant, or traffic stop. On May 6, 2012 General Order 1-39 Use of Tape/Digital Recorders was made effective replacing an earlier version. This order includes the language in the Special Order and provides a list of incidents that must also be recorded. Another version of General Order 1-39 was made effective January 22, 2013 with some additional language including noting when officers should activate their cameras. It appears to also differentiate between dispatched and non-dispatched events and situations. Via our focus groups it appears many officers have interpreted the policy to include any citizen contact. The January 2013 general order appears to be modified by an October 2014 special order dealing with video evidence tagging procedures, which directed all officers to video if logged on a call where an arrest, criminal summons or non-traffic citation was issued. These four managing documents are found in the appendices of this report. Official information sources for this study included the OBCS information system, City of Albuquerque Human Resource information, Automated Reporting System (ARS) data, APD computer aided dispatch information (CAD), and focus groups with sworn APD staff. City of Albuquerque and APD staff collaborated in providing access to the necessary official information and provided technical information in matching and merging information from the data sources. Eleven focus groups with APD patrol officers, sergeants, and lieutenants were conducted, as well as three focus groups with Investigative Bureau detectives and one focus group with a mix of Investigative Bureau sergeants and several SWAT officers. APD staff was helpful in arranging these focus groups. APD has implemented an OBCS and similar camera programs are being implemented in law enforcement agencies around the country. This is a fairly new technology for law enforcement and best practices have not been established regarding the use of cameras, video storage and download protocols, privacy concerns, use of evidence, and officer training. Literature addressing these and other issues suggests police departments have much to consider before investing in and implementing an OBCS. This study involved two primary tasks. First, a review and analysis of APD video camera data, APD CAD data, and human resource data for APD officers was completed and second, focus groups of patrol officers, detectives, sergeants, and lieutenants from the APD Field Service Bureau (FSB), the Investigative Bureau (IB), and Special Services Bureau (SSB) were conducted. This report includes this introduction, a literature review of current practices in the field of on body camera systems, a study design and methodology section, the analysis and discussion of the data listed above, and a recommendations and conclusions section. Details: Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, Institute for Social Research, 2016. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2016 at: https://www.cabq.gov/police/documents/obcs-report-draft-all-bureaus-master-final_v102022016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.cabq.gov/police/documents/obcs-report-draft-all-bureaus-master-final_v102022016.pdf Shelf Number: 140073 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamera Technology Law Enforcement Technology Police AccountabilityPolice SurveillancePolice Technology Police Use of Force |
Author: Katz, Charles M. Title: Evaluating the Impact of Officer Worn Body Cameras in the Phoenix Police Department Summary: The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), through the SMART Policing Initiative (SPI), awarded the Phoenix Police Department $500,000 to purchase, deploy and evaluate police body worn cameras. The design and implementation of the project included the purchase of 56 Body Worn Camera (BWC) systems and deploying them in the Maryvale Precinct. The implementation of the BWC;s occurred in one of the two Maryvale Precinct squad areas (aka target area). All officers assigned to the target area were issued the equipment and were provided training in its use, maintenance, and related departmental policy. This evaluation was conducted to examine the effect of implementing police worn body cameras on complaints against the police and domestic violence case processing and outcomes. Our analysis of the camera meta-data indicated that only 13.2 to 42.2 percent of incidents were recorded by and BWV camera. Domestic violence incidents were the most likely to be recorded (47.5%), followed by violent offenses (38.7), back-up (37%), status offenses (32.9%), and subject/vehicle stops (30.9%). Other offense types were recorded less often. While in general the technology was found to be comfortable and easy to use, officers were dissatisfied with long down load times, increased amount of time that it took to complete reports, and the possibility that video recordings might be used against them by the department. We also found that video submitted to the court was difficult to process because of logistical problems associated with chain of custody and the length of time that it took the prosecutors to review video files. While many of the problems were addressed by the precinct commander by assigning a police officer to serve as a court liaison officer, prosecutors still maintained that they did not have enough time to review video footage. Regardless, the officer worn body cameras were found to be beneficial to the officers and the court in a number of ways. First, officer productivity as measured through the number of arrests increased significantly. For instance, the number of arrests increased by about 17% among the target group compared to 9% in the comparison group. Second, complaints against the police declined significantly. Complaints against officers who wore the cameras declined by 23%, compared to a 10.6% increase among comparison officers and 45.1% increase among patrol officers in other precincts. Third, our data showed that those officers who wore cameras and received a complaint were significantly less likely to have the complaint sustained when compared to the comparison group and other patrol officers throughout the PPD. This suggests that even if a complaint was made against a camera wearing officer the video file was likely to provide support to the officer. Fourth, and related, the officer self-report data suggested that a significant number of complaints were not pursued because of video recordings. BWC did not appear, however, to have an impact on suspect behavior as measured through resisting arrest charges. Additionally, we examined the impact of body worn cameras on domestic violence case processing. Analysis of the data indicated that following the implementation of body cameras, cases were significantly more likely to be initiated, result in charges filed, and result in a guilty plea or guilty verdict. The analysis also determined that cases were completed faster following the implementation of body cameras, however, we believe that this finding was largely a product of the addition of a court liaison officer who facilitated case processing between the PPD and city prosecutors office. Details: Phoenix, AZ: Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety, Arizona State University, 2014. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2016 at: https://publicservice.asu.edu/sites/default/files/ppd_spi_feb_20_2015_final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://publicservice.asu.edu/sites/default/files/ppd_spi_feb_20_2015_final.pdf Shelf Number: 144873 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamera TechnologyLaw Enforcement TechnologyPolice AccountabilityPolice Surveillance |
Author: Henstock, Darren Title: Testing the Effects of Body Worn Video on Police Use of Force during Arrest: A Randomised Controlled Trial Summary: There is, at present, a worldwide uncontrolled social experiment taking place within policing. Body worn cameras have been rolled-out in many forces worldwide, aiming to improve the procedural compliance of officers and reduce the incidence of use of force. Yet rigorous evidence is virtually non-existent on this multi-billion dollar industry, on either its efficacy or cost-effectiveness. This study tested the effect of body worn cameras within a large UK force in a six month randomised-controlled-trial, whilst observing the effect within pre-specified force categories. Overall a 50% reduction in the odds of force being used was recorded when body worn cameras are present compared to control conditions, interpreted to be a result of the deterrence-effect body worn cameras have on officers, offenders, or both. However, the effect concentrates in open-hand tactics, with no discernible effect on categories of more aggressive force responses. Furthermore, 40% 'more force' was detected in treatment-conditions for handcuffing compliant suspects - contextualised as enhanced transparency and accountability, rather than a backfiring-effect. In logical conclusion to this recorded reduction in low level use of force, the study documents a 65% reduction in recorded injuries to persons arrested, but counter-intuitively a corresponding increase in reported injuries to officers. This seemingly unexpected finding is attributed to improved confidence in reporting by officers rather than the cameras creating more aggression towards them. Finally, the dissertation also considers issues surrounding the implementation of body worn camera experiments. Details: Cambridge, UK: Wolfson College, 2015. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 4, 2017 at: http://www.crim.cam.ac.uk/alumni/theses/Darren%20Henstock.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.crim.cam.ac.uk/alumni/theses/Darren%20Henstock.pdf Shelf Number: 145315 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamera TechnologyCamerasLaw Enforcement TechnologyPolice AccountabilityPolice SurveillancePolice Use of Force |
Author: Koen, Marthinus Christoffel Title: On-Set Body-Worn Cameras in a Police Organization: Structures, practices, and technological frames Summary: Existing research on body-worn cameras (BWCs) has primarily focused on outcomes (e.g., use-of-force incidents, complaints, and arrests) rather than the processes related to BWC implementation and use by officers. This dissertation provides insights into the effects that the implementation of BWCs has had on key organizational structures and practices, including reporting, discretion, training, police-citizen interactions, and supervision. It also focuses on the technological frames of individuals belonging to different organizational groups and examines to what extent these outlooks differed between groups and changed over time. Using in-depth interviews, ride-along observations, and patrol officer surveys at a single police agency, this research resulted in two major, interrelated findings. First, the largest effect of the implementation of BWCs was on accountability, which had increased in scope to cover a range of aspects of policing, including training, reporting, discretion, and police-citizen interactions. At the same time, the intensity with which officers' experienced accountability had not significantly increased as BWC footage was not systematically used to monitor, review, and/or evaluate police officer conduct and quality of performance. The second major finding, regarding the technological frames of two relevant social groups (Managers and Users), helps explain these findings. BWCs were implemented primarily for training purposes and to protect patrol officers against groundless complaints rather than as a mechanism for identifying officer misconduct, for failing to comply with departmental policies, and for poor street-level performance. Although Users initially feared that BWCs were going to be used to get them into trouble for minor instances of misconduct or rule violations, their frames changed over time as they realized that BWCs were not going to be used by Managers as a "gotcha" mechanism. As officers learned that BWCs were used primarily to protect and support them, they became much more positive and less apprehensive about their implementation in the department. This challenges the view suggested by the technological frames literature that "first impressions" last, as Users' initial apprehension toward BWCs gave way to a readiness to embrace them, particularly in light of the several benefits they subsequently learned BWCs delivered. This contribution to existing knowledge is beneficial in two ways: first, it fills a gap in existing police technology research in providing an in-depth examination of the effects of BWC implementation on a variety of structures and practices in addition to technological frames; second, it serves as a baseline for future, large-scale studies by identifying additional factors that were important and/or specific to the implementation of BWCs that have not been fully explored. Details: Fairfax, VA: George Mason University, 2016. 269p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 28, 2017 at: http://digilib.gmu.edu/jspui/bitstream/handle/1920/10419/Koen_gmu_0883E_11230.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://digilib.gmu.edu/jspui/bitstream/handle/1920/10419/Koen_gmu_0883E_11230.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 146450 Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras Camera Technology Law Enforcement Technology Police AccountabilityPolice Technology Police Use of Force |
Author: Braga, Anthony A. Title: The Impact of Body-Worn Cameras on Complaints Against Officers and Officer Use of Force Incident Reports: Preliminary Evaluation Findings Summary: SUMMARY - The Boston Police Department collaborated with Northeastern University to develop a randomized controlled trial of its pilot implementation of 100 body worn cameras on patrol officers in 5 police districts and plainclothes officers in the Youth Violence Strike Force. - The Northeastern research team randomly allocated 281 officers into treatment (camera wearers) and control groups from these assignments. The selected officers worked the day and first half shifts and were actively providing police services to Boston residents. - The randomization procedure generated treatment (140 officers) and control (141 officers) groups that were equivalent in terms of officer sex, race, age, years on the job, shift, assignment, prior complaints, and prior use of force reports. All treatment officers were trained on the body worn camera policy and the use of the technology. - At the commencement of the pilot program, 100 of the 140 officers trained on the use of body worn cameras were assigned to wear the cameras. Over the course of the one-year intervention period, 21 officers stopped wearing the cameras due to promotions, assignment changes, medical incapacitation, resignation, and retirement. A total of 121 of the 140 treatment officers wore cameras during the pilot program. - The preliminary findings of the randomized controlled trial suggest that the placement of body worn cameras on Boston Police officers may generate small benefits to the civility of police-citizen civilian encounters. Relative to control officers, treatment officers received fewer citizen complaints and generated fewer use of force reports. - Statistical analysis revealed that the impact of body worn cameras on complaints was small but statistically-significant at a less restrictive statistical threshold. The results suggest a reduction of one complaint per month for 140 treatment officers relative to 141 control officers. The analysis indicated body worn cameras generated a small reduction in officer use of force reports that was not statistically-significant, suggesting no meaningful difference between the treatment and control groups. - These preliminary results are not final and should be interpreted with caution. The evaluation team will continue to collect data and pursue supplemental analyses to ensure that these findings are robust to different tests and model specifications. The final report will present completed analyses of the impact of body worn cameras on citizen complaints and officer use of force reports as well as analyses of impacts on police proactivity, lawfulness of police enforcement actions, and police-community relations. Details: Boston: Northeastern University, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2018. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5086f19ce4b0ad16ff15598d/t/5a563546ec212d4f5bf29527/1515599174343/BPD+BWC+RCT+preliminary+impact+report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5086f19ce4b0ad16ff15598d/t/5a563546ec212d4f5bf29527/1515599174343/BPD+BWC+RCT+preliminary+impact+report.pdf Shelf Number: 148946 Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras Camera Technology Cameras Law Enforcement Technology Police Accountability Police Surveillance Police Use of Force Police-Citizen InteractionsPolice-Community relations |