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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 12:21 pm
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Results for cameras
13 results foundAuthor: American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois Title: Chicago's Video Surveillance Cameras: A Pervasive and Unregulated Threat to our Privacy Summary: Chicago has our nation’s most “extensive and integrated” network of government video surveillance cameras, according to former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. While the City of Chicago is secretive about the number of cameras (as well as many other critical aspects of its camera program), the City does not dispute the repeated public reports that it has access to 10,000 publicly and privately owned cameras throughout the City. In the downtown district, virtually every segment of the public way is under video surveillance. These technologically sophisticated cameras have the power to automatically identify and track particular persons, and the capacity to magnify and make visible small details and objects at great distances. Nevertheless, the City seeks to expand and enhance the level of surveillance. Mayor Daley has announced a plan to place a camera “on every corner” of the City. In the words of another top City official, the objective is to “cover one end of the city to the other.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois believes that Chicago does not need a camera on every sidewalk, on every block, in every neighborhood. Rather, our City needs to change course, before we awake to find that we cannot walk into a book store or a doctor’s office free from the government’s watchful eye. We urge the City to order a moratorium on the expansion of the camera system. Then the City should initiate a thorough and open review of this surveillance system, including whether to reduce the number of cameras. Finally, for those cameras that remain, the City should implement new rules to safeguard individual privacy. Details: Chicago: ACLU of Illinois, 2011. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://il.aclu.org/site/DocServer/Surveillance_Camera_Report1.pdf?docID=3261 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://il.aclu.org/site/DocServer/Surveillance_Camera_Report1.pdf?docID=3261 Shelf Number: 124760 Keywords: CamerasElectronic SurveillanceRight of PrivacyVideo Surveillance (Chicago) |
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: Big Brother Watch Title: Smile you are on Body Worn Camera, Part 1 -- Local Authorities. How Councils are Using Body Worn Cameras Summary: Big Brother Watch has a long history of exposing the over-zealous use of surveillance powers by local authorities. Over the past 8 years we have found that local authorities have used counter terrorism powers to spy on dog owners, suspected fly tippers and even members of staff they employ to spot crime. We have revealed the thousands of officials able to enter our homes; often without a warrant, and we have lain bare the financial burden of CCTV on council coffers. Now in Smile you are on Body Worn Camera, Part 1 "Local Authorities, we reveal for the first time that: 54% of all local authorities across the UK are equipping members of staff or contractors with body worn cameras at a cost of £1,791,960.81. 66% of local authorities are failing to completing Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) before deploying the technology and 21% of councils are holding non-evidential footage for longer than 31 days; the time limit adhered to by police forces. Body worn cameras are the new tool in the surveillance arsenal. They can be deployed for multiple purposes often with little to no evidence that they are the right tool to solve the particular problem. Big Brother Watch is concerned that the rush to use body worn cameras by local authorities is not being scrutinised closely enough. When we consider that many councils have a poor track record of using heavy handed surveillance tactics and are often lackadaisical with their approach to protecting personal data, scrutiny of new capabilities should be a number one priority. We understand that deploying body worn cameras in order to protect staff from verbal or physical abuse may have validity; no member of staff should feel unsafe at work. But the decision by some councils to equip staff with the cameras in order to film people dropping litter, walking dogs, parking or to monitor people's recycling, in order to use the "evidence" to issue a fine, we would argue is a disproportionate use of an intrusive surveillance capability and a potential breach of the privacy of law abiding citizens. The privacy concerns which accompany the use of body worn cameras are two-fold. Firstly, the initial filming of people in a public space and secondly the retention of footage showing direct engagement between official and citizen, which includes a record of the citizens' face, voice, mannerisms and behaviours. Local authorities must ensure the technology is only deployed when proven to be absolutely necessary and completely proportionate to the problem they are trying to solve. Officials must then ensure the retention of any data adheres to the strongest safeguards in light of the potential sensitivity of the data being handled. If they fail to properly engage on the issue of privacy, if citizens feel as though they are being filmed for no good reason by unnecessarily intrusive officials or if stories are published which reveal poor data security, loss, breach or misuse of the footage then councils will face inevitable criticism and a public backlash. Details: London: Big Brother Watch, 2017. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2017 at: https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Smile-you-are-on-Body-Worn-Camera-Part-1-1.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Smile-you-are-on-Body-Worn-Camera-Part-1-1.pdf Shelf Number: 141298 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamerasPrivacySurveillance |
Author: Young, Joshua Title: Implementation of a Randomized Controlled Trial in Ventura, California: A Body-Worn Video Camera Experiment Summary: Police agencies from around the world are currently deploying police practices which have been empirically shown to be ineffective. Yet, alarmingly, there doesn't seem to be any urgency to move away from these ineffective practices and into methods supported by evidence. It could be that the idea of using evidence from criminological research and running scientific experiments to test the effectiveness of new innovations seems out of reach for local agencies. In reality, this is far from the truth. There is currently, however, a lack of implementation literature for police agencies looking to implement experimentation and transition to evidence-based practices. The purpose of this thesis is to dispel the myth that integrating an evidence-based policing culture and scientifically testing new innovations is outside the scope of local police agencies. Based on lessons learned from implementing a body-worn video (BWV) camera randomized controlled trial (RCT), this thesis is written to offer the practitioner a real-world thematic guide. This guide aims to assist police agencies looking to implement a BWV camera experiment and provide recommendations on how to integrate and sustain an evidence-based policing culture. During the Ventura Police Department's (VPD) randomized controlled trial (RCT), we were not only able to implement an experiment with the University of Cambridge but provide a replication study of the first BWV camera randomized controlled trial conducted in Rialto, California. During the implementation of Ventura's BWV randomized controlled trial, we encountered stumbling blocks in the non-compliance of the randomization schedule. We show with verifiable data that we were able to increase officer compliance by 92% and provide recommendations on how to reduce contamination issues by laying an evidence-based foundation prior to implementation. In addition, I offer a recommendation for agencies looking to embrace evidence-based policing to create a guiding coalition with enough influence to support, integrate, and sustain a culture willing to test new innovations. Our experiment evaluates the effects of BWV cameras on police use of force and citizens' complaints. In addition, Ventura's BWV camera experiment will be the first to empirically test the effects of BWV cameras on prosecution outcomes, particularly the speed of early-guilty pleas and the rate of prosecution. I purposely do not provide any preliminary data relating to use of force, citizens' complaints, and prosecution outcomes. It is too early to show any causal inferences to suggest the effects the BWV cameras are having at VPD. However, early indications suggest that the cameras are having a positive effect. We look to provide statistical strength to Rialto's findings at the conclusion of our 12 month RCT. Details: Cambridge, UK: Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, 2014. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 10, 2017 at: http://www.crim.cam.ac.uk/alumni/theses/Joshua%20Young%20Thesis.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.crim.cam.ac.uk/alumni/theses/Joshua%20Young%20Thesis.pdf Shelf Number: 144766 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamerasEvidence-Based PolicingEvidence-Based ProgramsPolice AccountabilityPolice TechnologySurveillance Video Technology |
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: Newell, Bryce Clayton Title: Transparent Lives and the Surveillance State: Policing, New Visibility, and Information Policy Summary: In this dissertation, I utilize conceptual and legal analyses to explore the tensions between personal information privacy and public access to information implicated by government surveillance and citizen-initiated inverse surveillance efforts designed to cast the gaze back at the government, and ask what implications these conclusions have for individual freedom (defined as the absence of domination). I focus on police use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) and automated license plate recognition (ALPR) technologies, on one hand, and citizen-initiated recordings of police officers and freedom of information (FOI) requests for data collected by police BWCs and ALPR systems, on the other. My analysis draws upon republican political theory, philosophical and legal theories of privacy and free speech, the concept of "policing's new visibility" (Goldsmith, 2010), and various other theories of surveillance and reciprocal/inverse surveillance within the surveillance studies literature. I conduct doctrinal and descriptive legal research into relevant privacy and disclosure laws applicable within Washington State (USA); utilize legal and philosophical theories of privacy, freedom, and free speech to conduct an analysis of the values and value tensions implicated in these situations; and apply elements of Value Sensitive Design for similar conceptual and analytic purposes. Ultimately, I develop a theory of information policy that that accounts for tensions between personal information privacy rights and government disclosure of personally-identifiable information under state FOI law in Washington State, and I propose normative recommendations for improving law, public policy, and police department surveillance and disclosure policies related to these privacy and access concerns. Details: Seattle: University of Washington, 2015. 207p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 16, 2017 at: https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/33984/Newell_washington_0250E_14460.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/33984/Newell_washington_0250E_14460.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 147362 Keywords: Automated License Plate RecognitionBody-Worn CamerasCamerasPolice SurveillancePolice TechnologyPrivacy |
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 |
Author: Okere, Stephen Title: An Evaluation of Circuit Television Cameras in Crime Management: A case Study of Nairobi Central Business District Summary: The study focused on the effectiveness of Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) in Urban Crime Management in the Central Business District (CBD) of Nairobi. The objective of the study was to explore the extent and effectiveness of CCTV Cameras in alleviating insecurity within Nairobi Central Business District. The theoretical framework looked into the location theory, routine activities theory, situation crime prevention theory and crime prevention through environmental design to understand how crime manifests itself and crime prevention measures adopted. The conceptual framework looked into the Location, Institutional Framework, Resources, Government Policy, Societal value systems, Community participation and Integrated Centralized Surveillance System that makes CCTV system effective in an urban environment. The Methodology used involved CCTV observation, Stratified random sampling of four Strata namely; Institutions/Businesses, Hotels, Supermarkets and Small Business Enterprise using CCTV Cameras. Interviews Schedule was used to interview Administrators, ICT Experts in installation of CCTV Cameras, Law Enforcement agents and urban planners from City Council of Nairobi. The study found out that 92.9% of the total respondents had installed CCTV cameras inside the buildings to offer surveillance inside the buildings. Those connected outside are mainly used to monitor traffic with a few located in strategic areas for crime prevention. 85.7% of the respondents indicated that CCTV cameras were effective where installed and location and coverage of cameras being a critical component. The study recommends the installation of CCTV cameras on the streets for crime prevention. There is also the need to involve all stakeholders including community participation to ensure project sustainability. Finally there is an urgent need for the government to come up with policy guidelines which sets out standards and conditions to be adopted in the operation of CCTV cameras schemes. Details: Nairobi: Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, University of Nairobi, 2012. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed February 6, 2018 at: https://urbanplanning.uonbi.ac.ke/sites/default/files/cae/artsdesign/urbanplanning/Stephen%20Okere%20Research%20Project.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Kenya URL: https://urbanplanning.uonbi.ac.ke/sites/default/files/cae/artsdesign/urbanplanning/Stephen%20Okere%20Research%20Project.pdf Shelf Number: 149010 Keywords: Camera SurveillanceCamerasCCTVClosed-Circuit Television CamerasCrime PreventionLaw Enforcement Technology Situational Crime PreventionSurveillance Video Technology |
Author: Hickman, Kishon C., Sr. Title: From Behind the Lens: Police Officer Perceptions as Body-Worn Cameras are Introduced Into the New York City Police Department Summary: In 2014, the U.S. District Court ordered the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to test the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) after finding that their stop, question, and frisk practices violated the rights of some minority New Yorkers. The ruling in Floyd v. City of New York (2013) mandated the recording of future interactions to determine if behavior would be influenced. A total of 54 volunteer officers wore a BWC for a 1-year period and were assigned to six precincts, all selected due to the high frequency of stop, question, and frisk reports prepared by patrol officers. This research examined patrol officer perceptions of the BWC from the lens of the NYPD's two-officer patrol car. The study revealed unique access to 54 volunteer officers and their non-camera-wearing patrol partners, as they recorded citizen interactions during this pilot period. Further, this study examined the extent officers were open to the adoption of BWCs, providing some of the first-ever evidence for or against claims of increased transparency, accountability and improvements in both officer and citizen behavior during encounters. The respondents' demographic data were analyzed to determine any relationship with particular viewpoints toward the BWC. The results suggest that patrol officers are in favor of the adoption of a BWC program, and that the BWC had little to no effect on their patrol partnerships. Results also suggest that officers felt comfortable wearing BWCs, and that regardless of their age, gender, years of police experience or years partnering, the existence of the BWC made for better police service in New York City. Details: Rochester, NY: St. John Fisher College, 2017. 163p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 23, 2018 at: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1301&context=education_etd Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1301&context=education_etd Shelf Number: 149230 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamerasPolice AccountabilityPolice SurveillancePolice TechnologyPolice-Citizen InteractionsStop and Frisk |
Author: Sacca, Giacomo Title: Not just another piece of equipment: an analysis for police body-worn camera policy decisions Summary: In the United States, law enforcement agencies are rapidly deploying body-worn cameras (BWCs) to increase organizational transparency and foster positive community relations. Proponents of the technology see BWCs as a tool to ensure police legitimacy and eliminate abusive conduct. Preliminary evidence identifies several benefits of using BWCs, such as: reduced citizen complaints, increased cooperation, and lower civil liability. However, emerging evidence suggests that the devices may be achieving the intended goals but with unintended consequences. BWC use may inadvertently increase use of force incidents and reduce the time that the police spend on de-escalating a situation. This thesis employs qualitative research methodology to examine how BWCs affect the ambiguous nature of police decision-making, as well as the effects of BWC use on the public, thereby investigating solutions for the frayed police-public relationship. By analyzing current data available on BWCs, examining information on human decision-making including heuristics, and completing a comparative analysis of a similar police technology-the vehicle dashboard camera-the thesis finds that BWC use can have different and changing impacts on police behavior, suggesting that variables related to human factors alter the dynamics of BWC use. The thesis provides recommendations that cover independent agency BWC evaluations, organizational training, limits on discretionary officer recording, and the practical application of automated camera systems. Details: Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School, 2017. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed February 23, 2018 at: https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/56797/17Dec_Sacca_Giacomo.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/56797/17Dec_Sacca_Giacomo.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 149231 Keywords: Body-Worn CamerasCamerasPolice AccountabilityPolice BehaviorPolice Decision-MakingPolice LegitimacyPolice TechnologyPolice-Community Relations |