This instructional material suggests how police body-worn camera (BWC) footage recorded during law enforcement officers’ interactions with citizens under specific circumstances can assist in determining whether departmental policy is being followed in the field.
There are four generally accepted recommended practices for police interactions with citizens addressed as suitable for monitoring with officer BWG. One of those practices is officer use of “procedural justice.” For this practice, BWC footage can show whether the officer is being respectful, remaining neutral, explaining her/his actions, and allowing community members to explain issues in dispute. A second issue that can be monitored by BWC footage is officer use of de-escalation techniques. Related officer actions to be monitored by BWC footage are officer use of aggressive actions with body or language. A fourth discouraged officer behavior recommended for monitoring with BWC footage is officer unnecessarily escalating encounters with aggressive language and aggressive or imposing behavior.