Officer Perceptions of Body-Worn Cameras Before and After Deployment: A Study of Three Departments

• NCJ Number: 250790
• Journal: Police Quarterly Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2016 Pages: 275-302
• Author(s): J. E. Gaub; D. E. Choate; N. Todak; C. M. Katz; M. D. White
• Date Published: September 2016
• Length: 27 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2011-DB-BX-0018
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study compared officer perceptions of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in three police departments in the western United States between 2013 and 2015, both before and after BWC program implementation, with a focus on the similarities and differences among officer perceptions of BWCs; and the implications of findings for police departments moving forward with BWC technology are examined.

Abstract

Over the past few years, several events have highlighted the strained relationship between the police and residents in many communities. Police officer body-worn cameras have been advocated as a tool by which police-community relations can be strengthened, while simultaneously increasing transparency and accountability of police departments. Support for BWCs from the public and Federal Government is strong, and some studies have examined police perceptions of BWCs; however, comparisons of officer perceptions of BWCs in different departments are lacking, as are assessments of officer attitudes pre- and post-BWC deployment. 38 references (Publisher abstract modified)