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1.9k Replies

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...9yrs9Y

Yes

 @9FBKC2Z from Georgia  agreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @FreedomEli from Ohio  disagreed…2yrs2Y

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-Artiscommented…1yr1Y

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  from Florida  disagreed…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

 @9F8MCCH from Nebraska  agreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @9F95F29Peace and Freedom from California  agreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @9FN622K from Ohio  agreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...9yrs9Y

Yes, this will protect the safety and rights of police officers and citizens

  @random17345  from North Carolina  agreed…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

 @9F76Q62Republican from Texas  agreed…2yrs2Y

If somebody you cared about was killed wrongfully you wouldn’t know because it be there word against yours

 @9M2KJ2C from Illinois  agreed…11mos11MO

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  from Pennsylvania  agreed…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.

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...9yrs9Y

No

 @9FL2B54  from Oklahoma  disagreed…2yrs2Y

Body cameras should be worn at all times to make sure that police are being just and fair to citizens.

 @9FBKKLT  from Pennsylvania  disagreed…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  from Indiana  agreed…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.

 @PuzzledJ0intResolutionfrom Texas  asked…2yrs2Y

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?

 @9FF84MWPeace and Freedom from Indiana  agreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @9FF8T47 from Utah  agreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @9FG9PKG from Texas  agreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @9F95F29Peace and Freedom from California  disagreed…2yrs2Y

Police should always carry body cams for both evidence of a crime and to make sure they aren’t doing anything suspicious themselves.

 @9GNTTF5  from Pennsylvania  disagreed…1yr1Y

If police officers are following the law and have nothing to hide, there is no reason to oppose police body cameras.

 @9GNW3MDSocialist from New Jersey  agreed…1yr1Y

I completely agree. Body cameras are good for both police officers and potential suspects; they protect both sides from false accusations.

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...9yrs9Y

No, it should be a police department’s or officer’s choice to wear one

 @9FBFVSC from Tennessee  disagreed…2yrs2Y

Top Disagreement

All officers should wear a body camera for evidence whether it be against the officer or for the officer.

 @9F8MGYB from Mississippi  disagreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @9F8MCCH from Nebraska  disagreed…2yrs2Y

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.

 @9F8YRB8 from Texas  disagreed…2yrs2Y

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

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...9yrs9Y

Yes, but only for patrol officers in high crime areas

 @5LDXQRMfrom Illinois  answered…4yrs4Y

Only In black towns/ neighborhoods

 @9ZZVGWG  from Florida  disagreed…4mos4MO

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...

 @8XLR4JXDemocrat  from North Carolina  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, and there should be clear consequences for tampering with the device’s footage.

 @56WTPKPfrom Vermont  answered…4yrs4Y

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.

 @9TYJFHK from Illinois  disagreed…6mos6MO

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.

 @8LXQB35 from Georgia  answered…4yrs4Y

Yes, the cameras never lie. That would help keep officers out of prison and help a lot with the investigations.

 @Varsity1 from Texas  commented…11mos11MO

I think the problem is that it would help put officers in prison more often.

 @5J4LQMBfrom Illinois  answered…4yrs4Y

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.

 @B2G25K9Democrat from California  disagreed…3mos3MO

Engaged Police Body Cameras

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.

 @9PQJGLJDemocrat from Florida  commented…10mos10MO

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.

 @5LDN8JLfrom Georgia  answered…4yrs4Y

Yes but they should be able to be activated by dispatch officers, not the police officer.

 @9DQ5DR6 from Ohio  answered…2yrs2Y

No. Police as an institution should be abolished.

  @Renaldo-MoonGreen  from Pennsylvania  commented…5mos5MO

So who will stop mass murderers? The nonexistent goodness of people?

  @Ign3usR3xSocialist from Washington  disagreed…1mo1MO

#1 Engaged Criminal Issues

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-kickpaw from Utah  commented…5mos5MO

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.

 @8FK9394Green from Illinois  answered…5yrs5Y

No, it gives too much leverage to the pigs

 @9TYJFHK from Illinois  disagreed…6mos6MO

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.

 @57JJ5STfrom Ohio  answered…4yrs4Y

Regardless, eliminate all tax-based police departments and allow the free market to provide police services

  @Renaldo-MoonGreen  from Pennsylvania  commented…5mos5MO

 @5KX4BRQfrom Ohio  answered…4yrs4Y

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.

 @4XYN4HZfrom Alabama  answered…4yrs4Y

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

 @9WDTKJ8 from Illinois  answered…6mos6MO

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.

 @9D47SPKDemocrat from North Carolina  answered…2yrs2Y

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.

 @92DYGCT from Arizona  answered…3yrs3Y

Yes, and they shouldn't be allowed to reduce or edit the video recorded by the body camera.

  @Jones4Potus2024  from Oregon  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, and should face punitive action if they turn it off at any time while on duty

 @927TSKR from North Carolina  answered…3yrs3Y

 @8FYQYQH from Michigan  answered…5yrs5Y

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.

 @B45P8Y5 from Minnesota  answered…2wks2W

Yes, the footage should be available for public review and any officer found to have covered or disabled their camera

 @B42WLPY from New Jersey  answered…2wks2W

Yes, and if the footage of a disputed encounter is missing, the police officer should be presumed to be at fault.

 @B42KFGT from California  answered…2wks2W

Yes, and if the footage is found to be missing or manipulated on purpose, all immunity shall be removed.

 @B3ZYM5D from Georgia  answered…3wks3W

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.

 @B3R83C8 from New York  answered…4wks4W

Yes, this will protect the safety and rights of citizens from potentially dangerous situations involving police officers and discourage inappropriate behavior from police

 @B3NGYCS  from California  answered…1mo1MO

In theory, no, because it violates privacy of citizens, but, because of police misconduct and brutality, yes

 @B35C8WLfrom Guam  answered…2mos2MO

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

 @B33SL3KCommunist from Iowa  answered…2mos2MO

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.

 @B2WGKKRSocialist  from Pennsylvania  answered…2mos2MO

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.

 @B2VFZPW from Oregon  answered…2mos2MO

This will allow more police officers to be held to the standard of their word, without manipulating perspectives or

 @B2KSJBF from Maryland  answered…2mos2MO

Yes, and any intentional effort to disable the body camera carries a penalty or minimum sentence based on the misconduct

 @B2GLT9V from Georgia  answered…3mos3MO

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  from North Carolina  answered…3mos3MO

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

 @B24WGV5 from Kentucky  answered…4mos4MO

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.

  Deletedanswered…4mos4MO

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.

 @9ZQ74RJ from Utah  answered…5mos5MO

Police Officers should be wearing and recording constantly, not just when arresting or searching buildings. This is important information.

 @9ZJ58WL from Louisiana  answered…5mos5MO

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.

 @9YBMLYH from South Carolina  answered…5mos5MO

If the person getting interrogated by a cop then they should wear one to make sure the cop is telling the truth.

 @9Y8SB86 from New York  answered…5mos5MO

Yes so that the police at the station can call back up before that police officer gets hurt or killed.

 @9XP443R from Minnesota  answered…5mos5MO

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  from Kentucky  answered…5mos5MO

Yes, this protects officers and citizens when proper review is done. These should not be available at any point to the general public

 @9XHXWXW from California  answered…5mos5MO

Yes, only if the department pays for them and houses storage, rather than putting that burden on the officers

 @9XHTC4J from Missouri  answered…5mos5MO

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.

 @9XGBQMQ from Kentucky  answered…5mos5MO

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

 @9XC4SJP from Missouri  answered…5mos5MO

Yes, and the federal government should provide funding for the purchase of, and maintenance of the equipment and data storage.

 @9X747QDIndependent from Illinois  answered…5mos5MO

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.

 @9X67RPV from Indiana  answered…5mos5MO

yes they should, for safety purposes, like if somebody says they didn't do something they can pull out the footage.

 @9WXFY5G from Pennsylvania  answered…5mos5MO

yes, this should be voted on by local level for your police department. Should be a yes for everyone

 @9WKLG4F from Arizona  answered…5mos5MO

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.

 @9WJ7C2B from Pennsylvania  answered…6mos6MO

Yes, it will protect both police officers and citizens. They should be required to be on at all times during a call.

 @9WHP3YY from Pennsylvania  answered…6mos6MO

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.

 @9TFQJL6Communist from Colorado  answered…7mos7MO

Yes, and they should be forced to have them running at all times and they shouldn’t be able to mute them or turn them off.

 @9SSSZ3QCommunist from Illinois  answered…7mos7MO

Yes, and there should be high penalties for the camera ever going off. The footage should always be publicly available so they can be help properly accountable to the people. Also, abolish the police.

 @9SBW6KC from California  answered…8mos8MO

Yes, they should not be able to turn it off at all, and the recordings should be available to public

 @9S78BWH from Georgia  answered…8mos8MO

Yes and they should be required to be on at all times that the officer is on duty, with both video and audio

 @9S5VFYZ from Tennessee  answered…8mos8MO

for the safety of the citizens and the police themselves yes they need to, they should also be tried the same as a civilian would for their crimes

 @9S5QDW5 from California  answered…8mos8MO

Yes, and any cop whose body camera turns off at convenient moments should be fired and arrested on presumption of guilt

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