With more departments implementing video recording systems, the public and the American Civil Liberties Union have expressed greater interest in how the video files are used. Additionally, departments that implement body-worn cameras are compelled to develop policies as to when and how long an officer must record an event, who can access the videos, how long video files will be retained, and under what circumstances videos can be released.
The proliferation of recorded evidence by law enforcement has brought forth a number of legal cases that will, for better or worse, help define departmental policies on the use of body-worn cameras. Several police departments across the nation have undertaken pilot programs to test the use of body-worn cameras. Their experiences will likewise inform future users of these devices and spur the camera manufacturers to further improve their products.
Steve Lovell, managing director of Vievu, believes that the benefits of recording and maintaining a video database outweigh any potential negative outcomes. “About 93 percent of complaints against officers that have video or audio documenting the officer’s actions are exonerated,” he says.
The Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Video Association (LEVA) is a professional organization that trains police video analysts across the country. LEVA president Blaine Davison predicts that future generations of body-worn video products will evolve to provide full HD resolution for under $1,000 per unit. Other advances may include real-time streaming to allow supervisors to monitor events in the field from the station and GPS tracking.
In the not too distant future, body-worn cameras may be standard issue for police officers—providing greater credibility in the courtroom, decreasing frivolous complaints
against officers, enhancing officer safety, and improving police-community relations.
Associate Editor of Police Magazine and a retired patrol supervisor and investigator with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Sgt. Dean Scoville has received multiple awards for government service. He is the author of Shots Fired, Police Magazine’s popular monthly column examining officer-involved shootings as experienced by the officers themselves.
Related Articles:
- Bright Ideas for Picture Perfect Video
- Watch for These IP Video Trends in 2012
- How to Detect a Concealed Weapon
- Your IP Video Surveillance Cheat Sheet
- Best Practices for Searching Female Suspects
