In 2021 the U.S. Justice Department announced that federal agents would be required to wear body cameras when executing arrest warrants or searching buildings. A 2022 Bureau of Justice Statistics report found that 80% of local police departments in the US used body cameras. The study found that departments that used body cameras showed improvement in officer safety, increased evidence quality and reduced civilian complaints.
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@ISIDEWITH9yrs9Y
Yes
@9FBKC2Z2yrs2Y
Top Agreement
I believe that police officers should have body cams. The main reason why I say this because they can be doing something wrong or illegal with the way they do their job. For example, if a police officer is beating a citizen with no reason they can get that on tape and it’s not just for citizens protection it’s also for the officers protection. There has been many officers who have been hurt by others and they should be protected as well. And I understand the job can be dangerous but they could use those body cams for Justice for them and the people in my opinion.
@FreedomEli2yrs2Y
You bring up some valid points regarding the use of body cameras for police accountability and officer safety. However, it's crucial to consider privacy concerns as well. For instance, body cameras often capture sensitive situations involving citizens in their most vulnerable moments, and the widespread access and potential misuse of this footage could lead to a breach of privacy. In San Francisco, for example, there were concerns about footage from body cameras being misused or ending up in the wrong hands. How would you propose we balance the need for transparency and accountability with the right to privacy?
@Ars-Gratia-Artis1yr1Y
You're right, but it's not a reason not to have them. *Technically* no where in the constitution is an inalienable right to privacy mentioned, it's just somewhat respected. I mean, the cameras are useful, I don't think that should be denied, I just think what should be RELEASED should be vetted for safety to protect individuals involved who aren't cops.
@9JVTPYX 1yr1Y
“consider privacy concerns as well. For instance, body cameras often capture sensitive situations involving citizens in their most vulnerable moments, and the widespread access and potential misuse of this footage could lead to a breach of privacy. In San Francisco, for example, there were concerns about footage from body cameras being misused or ending up in the wrong hands.”
Majority of the time a police officers are on public property so that's like saying, sure you can't record via body cam but if you want to you can pull your phone out. About people being at their lowest point, to put it simply what does that have to do with the officers? their job is to protect and serve and if they can't protect you because they can use footage of a guy being murdered because of privacy concerns then that alone would raise a red flag. It doesn't matter where you are or might go there is going to be someone who miss uses something, this might something suc… Read more
@9F8MCCH2yrs2Y
Cambridge University they discovered that the results of using body cameras resulted in an 88% decline in complaints against police officers and a 60% decline in police officers' use of force.
For example the clips released about George Floyd would never have existed if not for police body cams and therefore the reason of his death could have been covered up.
@9FN622K2yrs2Y
If an officer or a citizen mistreats the other, or commits and offence towards the other, and there is no evidence to prove it, a bodycam shall act as a means to record evidence, and disprove any false claims if it reaches a court.
@ISIDEWITH9yrs9Y
Yes, this will protect the safety and rights of police officers and citizens
@random17345 1yr1Y
"Cameras also protect police by providing evidence that they have made a legal arrest or stop and that they followed the proper protocol. Not only can body cameras help both citizens and police officers, they can also help to improve the relationship between them." from "Who Do Police Body Cameras Help?" on navalawez.com
@9F76Q62Republican2yrs2Y
If somebody you cared about was killed wrongfully you wouldn’t know because it be there word against yours
@9M2KJ2C12mos12MO
If there were no body cameras to view, it would be your word against an officer's word, making it almost unlikely you'd win the case. But with body cameras, it would show the truth and the truth alone, no manipulation or bribery. Body cameras are necessary to keep our society safe.
@9L5TQ4M 1yr1Y
While I don't have much evidence, I do know that many people would perform crimes if they knew nobody was watching. Who's to stop a crooked cop from accepting bribes or abusing his power when the evidence the crime occurred doesn't exist? Plus they already have qualified immunity, to get rid of body cams is to give them way too much power.
@ISIDEWITH9yrs9Y
No
@9FL2B54 2yrs2Y
Body cameras should be worn at all times to make sure that police are being just and fair to citizens.
@9FBKKLT 2yrs2Y
Top Disagreement
If all police were required to wear body cams, this would eliminate the question of misconduct and if it occurred and to get rid of the "he said she said" conflict.
@9FF5C55 2yrs2Y
Yes, I agree with this. It is the same concept as having a dash cam. It eliminates questions that could be manipulated by a party with more apparent power.
@PuzzledJ0intResolution2yrs2Y
I'm thrilled to see your agreement here! You brought up an interesting comparison to dash cams. Could you share more about why you think dash cams and body cams share the same benefits?
I believe that by making every police officer wear a body cam, it greatly deduces any chance of improper use of authority or it could help prove innocence when a police officer goes over the line.
@9FF8T472yrs2Y
Yes, I agree. I think that all police should wear cameras at all times for evidence against violence on the police and other accounts. Also, the government should be given the footage always and it cannot be doctored or changed in any way whatsoever.
@9FG9PKG2yrs2Y
I agree. The lack of confirmed evidence that we have in many cases is what let's the police force get away with so much more than they should.
Police should always carry body cams for both evidence of a crime and to make sure they aren’t doing anything suspicious themselves.
@9GNTTF5 1yr1Y
@ISIDEWITH9yrs9Y
No, it should be a police department’s or officer’s choice to wear one
@9FBFVSC2yrs2Y
Top Disagreement
All officers should wear a body camera for evidence whether it be against the officer or for the officer.
@9F8MGYB2yrs2Y
The officers who would choose not to wear body cameras are the ones we're worried about. The police are the violent enforcement arm of the government. They need to be surveilled in order to prevent the government from overstepping its bounds.
@9F8MCCH2yrs2Y
Body Cameras are made to protect the Officer and the Department in cases of misconduct, it only makes you look bad if you do soemthing wrong.
@9F8YRB82yrs2Y
Without body cams no proof of either negative or positive conduct will be available to review our policemen. With body cameras, a safer police force is provided
@ISIDEWITH9yrs9Y
Yes, but only for patrol officers in high crime areas
@5LDXQRM4yrs4Y
Only In black towns/ neighborhoods
@9ZZVGWG 5mos5MO
Why stop at black neighborhoods? Why not also Latino and Asian neighborhoods as well? Hell, why not all neighborhoods? Humans, man, can't trust any of those people...
@Renaldo-MoonGreen 6mos6MO
Supporting racism are we?
@B2VF8CM3mos3MO
@B2HYVVL 3mos3MO
that is very racist of you to say
Yes, and there should be clear consequences for tampering with the device’s footage.
@56WTPKP4yrs4Y
No, police should be retrained to deescalate high-tension situations and react to dangerous suspects with less lethal force. The reason a criminal isn't afraid to shoot a cop is the same reason a soldier isn't afraid to shoot his opponent in battle. If you threaten another person with death, expect them to fight like hell to kill you first. Furthermore, police accused of abusing their power should be tried as if they never had a badge in the first place. Murder is murder regardless of who kills who.
@9TYJFHK7mos7MO
Not all killing is murder. Killing to protect life (self-defense and defense of others) is wholly justified, and a badge ought to be factored in (removing duty to retreat, for example).
Less-lethal options are less effective, making them more likely to endanger officers and the general public.
There never is a promise of "if you surrender, you'll die." The main goal of SWAT teams is to use force so overwhelming that suspects will be reasonable and surrender. For this purpose, overwhelming firepower and manpower is necessary, although less violent forms of "shock and awe" are also used.
We need body cams to provide evidence of what happens, otherwise the trials would become "he said, he said" and juror bias would decide.
@5J4LQMB4yrs4Y
Yes!!! And if anyone fails to do what a man of the law says, like "stop, hands up, etc.", then the policeman has the lawful right to arrest you. If you try to shoot him, he can defend himself and shoot you. If you shoot a policeman, you should be arrested and the punishment should be you life's punishment, no exceptions, no parole.
“And if anyone fails to do what a man of the law says, like "stop, hands up, etc.", then the policeman has the lawful right to arrest you”
What about cases where someone is deaf or something similar? For example a deaf person could be jogging down a street, and a police officer behind them sees the deaf person and their clothing matches the description of a suspect in the area, so the police officer yells for them to stop and put their hands in the air. The officer would have no way of knowing that the jogger was deaf, and the jogger would not have heard the police officer, so they would have kept jogging like they were.
You do realize self-defense is a two-way street? This seems like a naïve perspective as if an officer can do no wrong. And really, there are real crimes to arrest people for instead of not following directions, especially if they're unreasonable. You should hold high standards for officers as well, kill/injure a civilian, they should receive a harsh punishment.
@5LDN8JL4yrs4Y
Yes but they should be able to be activated by dispatch officers, not the police officer.
@9DQ5DR62yrs2Y
No. Police as an institution should be abolished.
@Renaldo-MoonGreen 6mos6MO
So who will stop mass murderers? The nonexistent goodness of people?
@Ign3usR3xSocialist2mos2MO
Not exactly agreeing with the first, possibly, but "who will stop mass murders"... well obviously not police. They don't currently stop mass murders, so what point were you trying to make? That police stop crime?
@solo-von-kickpaw5mos5MO
The police play a crucial role in maintaining public safety and order within our communities. They are tasked with preventing and investigating crimes, which helps keep thieves, killers, and other criminals at bay the commitment of the police to uphold the law is vital for fostering a safe environment where individuals can live and prosper without the threat of violence or theft.
No, it gives too much leverage to the pigs
@9TYJFHK7mos7MO
If you're against cops having "leverage", you should ensure that they're held accountable by camera evidence.
The only way in which body cameras would help "pigs" is if you were to attack them. In that case, I hope that nobody rallies for your pathetic cause.
@57JJ5ST4yrs4Y
Regardless, eliminate all tax-based police departments and allow the free market to provide police services
@Renaldo-MoonGreen 6mos6MO
Bruh the police cant get the funding that way
@5KX4BRQ4yrs4Y
All police should be re-trained to learn de-escalation techniques, etc. And if an officer uses excessive force at any time, they should be fired. We need a new approach to policing.
@4XYN4HZ4yrs4Y
I believe that with the world we live in today, where a young man who actually committed two crimes (theft and beating a policeman until he had to go to the hospital) dies from being shot in self defense and he is the hero, it is absolutely 100% in the interest of the officer to wear this device. Generations struggled for equality and most did so under the non-violent protests and gatherings of Dr. King, Jr. Those courageous people did not suffer and bleed and March just for their grandchildren and great grandchildren could just throw down the race card and the start rioting and looting and… Read more
@5KJKS7Q4yrs4Y
Hell yes! #BlackLivesMatter
@B3ZYM5D1mo1MO
No, for the sake of capitalism, freedom, federalism, weak government, and checks and balances, they should have that choice whether or not to do so.
@9WDTKJ86mos6MO
Yes, but I believe that the public doesn't have the context or the training in the situations, either. So I believe it should have a review committee, and can be released as needed.
Yes, this will protect the safety and rights of police officers and citizens, and we need reform so that any tampering with the device or footage comes with a clear consequence.
@92DYGCT3yrs3Y
Yes, and they shouldn't be allowed to reduce or edit the video recorded by the body camera.
@Jones4Potus2024 2yrs2Y
Yes, and should face punitive action if they turn it off at any time while on duty
@927TSKR3yrs3Y
Yes, and they should be reprimanded for ever turning them off while on duty
@8FYQYQH5yrs5Y
Yes, but preferably, we should decrease the amount of police that we have in the first place, and spend the resources instead on helping the local community.
@8JCXT355yrs5Y
Yes, and they must be on at all times
@B4V42QN7 days7D
FALSE Q; police are ALREADY REQUIRED to wear body cams-THEY JUST COVER THEM UP WITH HAND OR TURN THEM OFF OR GO INTO COMPUTER AND DELETE FOOTAGE
Tazers by Axiom on the other hand!! EXCITED DELERIUM IS MURDER OF CIVILIANS. really look into it seriously.
Yes, and there should be stricter protocols for hiring new police officers and longer training periods with personality tests. The police are too corrupt.
Yes but only if doing so would not interfere with the performance of their duties. Such as undercover work or narcotics enforcement.
@B4HX6643wks3W
Yes, as this will protect the safety and rights of LEO's and citizens AND should ultimately be made part of the public record or destroyed based upon the outcome of any directly related legal proceedings.
@B4FCJW4Republican4wks4W
No, for the sake of freedom, capitalism, weak government, privacy, federalism, and checks and balances.
@B4DZVF84wks4W
I'm undecided. There are risks to body cams (e.g. exposing CIs, Cops second guessing actions or worrying how actions might appear) but there are benefits too (e.g. increase in public trust). I lean towards them being mandatory to wear, but leaving it to the officer's discretion whether or not they're on.
@B45P8Y51mo1MO
Yes, the footage should be available for public review and any officer found to have covered or disabled their camera
@B42WLPY1mo1MO
Yes, and if the footage of a disputed encounter is missing, the police officer should be presumed to be at fault.
@B42KFGT1mo1MO
Yes, and if the footage is found to be missing or manipulated on purpose, all immunity shall be removed.
@B3R83C82mos2MO
Yes, this will protect the safety and rights of citizens from potentially dangerous situations involving police officers and discourage inappropriate behavior from police
@B3NGYCS 2mos2MO
In theory, no, because it violates privacy of citizens, but, because of police misconduct and brutality, yes
@B35C8WL2mos2MO
Should the new Zealand labour party leader in goods or not in hands for results of credits officers decision and highest level areas is an trusted if stand issued by u.s president is an career defense
Yes, and they should be on at all times and easily accessible by the public by all times and any attempt to tamper with or delete footage should be a felony.
Yes, body cameras should always be on recording audio and video and any department preventing the public from accessing the contents should be held criminally responsible.
@B2VFZPW3mos3MO
This will allow more police officers to be held to the standard of their word, without manipulating perspectives or
@B2KSJBF3mos3MO
Yes, and any intentional effort to disable the body camera carries a penalty or minimum sentence based on the misconduct
@B2GLT9V3mos3MO
Yes, and make it so they cannot be switched off. Police officers should be held accountable for their actions while they are in uniform.
@B273GXVLibertarian 4mos4MO
The government should own no property and private property owners should be able to secure their property and defend themselves however they see fit as long as it doesn't interfere with another individual's rights to life. liberty and property and therefore can decide the rules they would like for members of their security team
@B24WGV54mos4MO
Yes, and penalize officers who don't wear one by restricting them to office work. If an officer turns their camera off, then they will face a temporary suspension for the first offense. If they did misconduct while the camera was off, they will face punishment.
Deleted5mos5MO
i wish for any government to not exist, and i wish for police to be abolished. I am an anarchist, but if it continues to exist then absolutely.
@9ZQ74RJ5mos5MO
Police Officers should be wearing and recording constantly, not just when arresting or searching buildings. This is important information.
@9ZJ58WL6mos6MO
I feel it should be up to the individuals. Security cams would increase public safety, but it would also decrease privacy. So, Yes and No.
@9YBMLYH6mos6MO
If the person getting interrogated by a cop then they should wear one to make sure the cop is telling the truth.
@9Y8SB866mos6MO
Yes so that the police at the station can call back up before that police officer gets hurt or killed.
@9XP443R6mos6MO
Yes, it will protect the safety and rights of police and citizens, but camera should not be able to be accessed by the public only confidential between police and citizen involved, and department, and court, but unable to share outside of those situations
@9XNKP3N 6mos6MO
Yes, this protects officers and citizens when proper review is done. These should not be available at any point to the general public
@9XHXWXW6mos6MO
Yes, only if the department pays for them and houses storage, rather than putting that burden on the officers
@9XHTC4J6mos6MO
Yes, but the program should also be expanded to include public access to any footage obtained in which an officer is credibly accused of misconduct.
@9XGBQMQ6mos6MO
yes but also no just in case someone wants their situation private and their house adress or house number or what ever and their face in case they dont want every one knowing their Situation
@9XC4SJP6mos6MO
Yes, and the federal government should provide funding for the purchase of, and maintenance of the equipment and data storage.
@9X747QDIndependent6mos6MO
In most instances yes, but there should be exceptions to allow victims of crime to opt out of being on video and in plain clothes/under cover operations.
@9X67RPV6mos6MO
yes they should, for safety purposes, like if somebody says they didn't do something they can pull out the footage.
@9WXFY5G6mos6MO
yes, this should be voted on by local level for your police department. Should be a yes for everyone
@9WKLG4F6mos6MO
Yes, and as soon as they are on the officer, it should be recording and should not be turned off until the end of shift.
@9WJ7C2B6mos6MO
Yes, it will protect both police officers and citizens. They should be required to be on at all times during a call.
@9WHP3YY6mos6MO
When on-duty or, even better, actively pursuing a crime, yes. If officers are discussing personal topics or are off-duty, no. For example, if an officer is talking about his divorce in the patrol vehicle with a colleague, I believe they should have their privacy. If an officer is having sexual intercourse with a suspect in a police vehicle, they should not have their privacy.
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