Police Body Cameras

Police Body Cameras: Academic Article Critique Paper
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Introduction
A body-worn camera (BWC) is an audio and video recording system usually used by law enforcement to collect video evidence at the crime scene and record their interactions with the citizens. BWCs record what the officer sees as they go about their duties. They have been around since at least 2016. It is expected that local police and sheriffs using BWCs would record improved officer safety, increased evidence quality, reduced agency liability, and low civilian complaints. Although body cameras are explicitly no magic solution to police application of force, technology is increasingly revolutionizing policing outcomes. BWCs have clearly led to evidence collection in criminal cases related to police misconduct during their life of duty. Notable examples of such criminal cases are those associated with the deaths of George Floyd and Tire Nichols in police hands. Amid this backdrop, many citizens have encountered high-profile police-perpetrated shootings and loss of lives in custody. These events contributed to the widespread utilization of the BWCs by police departments and agencies geared at improving accountability and conduct. This paper critiques Lum et al.'s (2020) article to understand how it captures the issue of BWCs and how use of such technology affects citizens and police behavior.
Description of the Problem or Issue
The problem under scrutiny in this article pertains to the need for a comprehensive assessment of body cameras impact on police officer behavior and suspect compliance. This issue has emerged in the backdrop of the universal utilization of BWCs by law enforcement departments and agencies across the globe, driven by various motivations. Primarily, these agencies have sought to address pressing concerns related to police misconduct, enhance evidence collection in law enforcement encounters, and improve overall community relations. However, despite the increasing prevalence of this technology in policing, the precise outcomes of BWC implementation remain a subject of ongoing debate and contention. In this context, Lum et al.'s (2020) study takes shape, aiming to examine BWCs' impact critically. The investigation includes an assessment of how BWCs influence critical factors, including the incidence of complaints filed against officers, the use of force by law enforcement officers, rates of arrests made by the police, proactive policing activities, instances of resistance against or assaults on officers, and the volume of citizen-initiated calls for police service. By addressing these dimensions, the article seeks to provide valuable insights into the complex dynamics surrounding the use of BWCs in contemporary law enforcement.
Analysis
In their comprehensive study, Lum et al. (2020) analyzed the impact of BWCs on various facets of policing, drawing from an extensive meta-analysis of 30 studies encompassing 116 effects. This analytical approach, including experimental and quasi-experimental research designs, afforded a comprehensive overview of the BWC landscape. The authors meticulously examined various outcomes, ranging from citizen complaints against offic...