Body-worn video: LE use in the USA?

[slapout9]

Not LE but close. San Francisco Fire Chief has banned helmet cameras.




http://news.msn.com/videos/?ap=True&...om=en-us_msnhp

[carl]

Slap:

There is something I just thought of when I read your post. Do you think some the the less thoughtful guys might do some grandstanding for their head cameras they might not otherwise do?

[selil]

I had to operate in a 360 surveilance environment. Guys would grandstand and idiots would idioate. All on film. CIs shutdown. The footage from non related times would be used to embarrass. Scratch your crotch, pick your nose, it was all there on film ready to be edited into a story that didn't happen.

[slapout9]

Slap:

There is something I just thought of when I read your post. Do you think some the the less thoughtful guys might do some grandstanding for their head cameras they might not otherwise do?

Definitely!

[Fuchs]

http://de.scribd.com/doc/130767873/S...e-use-of-force

used camera: http://www.taser.com/flex

Moderator's Note

Normally to avoid copyright issues SWC removes Scribd links, on this occasion it appears the publishers, the Police Foundation, have loaded this article onto Scribd, so it remains here. Nice article too, thanks (ends).

[davidbfpo]

The use of body-worn cameras is spreading, although with some resistance and taken from a BBC News report the rationale:

Incidents can be subject to interpretation whereas with the cameras we've got that real view of what actually did happen.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25024204

[Firn]

With Obama's Support, Police Body Cameras Could Become the New Normal

For people who support putting cameras on cops, this is a very big deal. The White House plan is intended to outfit 50,000 officers with cameras, which would almost double the number of cameras in use in the country. There are currently two major U.S. companies selling body cameras: Vievu, which has sold more than 40,000 cameras to 3,900 police agencies, and Taser (TASR), with 30,000 cameras in use by 1,200 agencies. The $75 million earmarked to purchase new body cameras is more than seven times the total revenue Taser earned from selling the devices in 2013.

I'm curious what impact this will have on citiziens (especially of certain backgrounds), law enforcement officers and the society in general. We are now talking about considerable numbers.

[flagg]

I wonder how much this will adversely effect command latitude for police officers?

Is there potential something meant to help will actually hurt?

Will officers be reluctant to use personal judgement and latitude when everything is recorded?