Newsweek: Study Finds Body Cameras Decrease Police’s Use of Force

[branford]

3. The headline is far more evocative and optimistic that the article itself.

The study described in the article indicates significant caveats and reservations admitted by the researchers, did not discuss how Rialto, California was in any way representative of other jurisdictions such NYC or LA, and noted significant DOJ concerns about constitutional and legal matters like privacy that could stymie continued widespread use of police body cameras. The study also indicated that the diminished use of force could actually be attributed to the public modifying its behavior because they were being filmed, i.e., suspects were less violent due to the cameras thereby necessitating less justified police force.

It should be additionally remembered that the public is still extremely sympathetic to the police, and even in matters like Eric Garner, where the entire incident was clearly filmed and publicized, the grand jury still refused to indict.

The proverbial jury is still out on police body cameras. However, I believe the experiment should continue cautiously and methodically.

I not sure by what you mean you state, "They exit, not as an entity in their own right but with our permission and at our pleasure." Are you suggesting we should consider eliminating the police, that they do not have all the rights and legal protections provided to virtually all other public employees, or that a sufficient majority of American citizen actually supports some major overhaul of the very nature, type and extent of policing in the country?