Common use of Perceived Benefits of Body-Worn Cameras Clause in Contracts

Perceived Benefits of Body-Worn Cameras. 7‌ Agencies are also reporting that, in most of these cases, the resolution is in support of the officer’s account of events. Chief of Police Xxxx Xxxxxxxx of Daytona Beach, Florida, recalled one example in which a member of the public threatened to file a complaint against officers following a contentious encounter. Alleging that the officers had threatened him and used racial epithets, the individual said that he would go to the news media if the department failed to take action. One of the officers involved had been wearing a body-worn camera. “We reviewed the video, and clearly the individual lied,” recalled Xxxxxxxx. “The officer was glad to have the footage because the individual’s allegations were absolutely not what was represented in the video.” Body-worn cameras have also helped to resolve more serious incidents, including officer-involved shootings. Chief Xxxxxx of Topeka said that the local district attorney cleared an officer in a deadly shooting incident after viewing the officer’s body-worn camera footage. Xxxxxx described how the camera footage captured the event in real time and provided a record of events that would otherwise not have existed. “The entire event was captured on video from the perspective of the officer. Now tell me when that happened before the advent of body-worn cameras,” said Xxxxxx. Several police departments, including those in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Greenville, North Carolina, are finding that officers with a history “The use of body-worn video by frontline of- ficers has real potential to reduce complaints of incivility and use of force by officers. The footage can also exonerate officers from vex- atious and malicious complaints. In addition, I feel there are benefits to the criminal justice system in terms of more guilty pleas, reduced costs at court, and a reduction in the num- ber of civil cases brought against the police service for unlawful arrest/excessive force. We already have good examples of body- worn video footage exonerating officers from malicious complaints.’’ – Xxxx Xxxxxx, Detective Chief Superintendent, Greater Manchester (UK) Police of complaints are now actively requesting to wear cameras. For officers who behave properly but generate complaints because they have high levels of activity or frequent contacts with criminal suspects, cameras can be seen as beneficial. “We all have our small percentage of officers with a history of complaints,” said Chief of Police Xxxxxx Xxxx of Greenville. “Internal Affairs has told me that these officers have come in to request body-worn cameras so that they can be protected in the future.” Identifying and correcting internal agency problems Another way that body-worn cameras have strengthened accountability and transparency, according to many police executives, is by helping agencies identify and correct problems within the department. In fact, PERF’s survey found that 94 percent of respondents use body-worn camera footage to train officers and aid in administrative reviews. Many police agencies are discovering that body-worn cameras can serve as a useful training tool to help improve officer performance. For example, agencies are using footage from body-worn cameras to provide “We have about 450 body-worn cameras actively deployed, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, the footage demonstrates that the officer’s actions were appropriate.” – Xxxx Xxxxx, Chief of Police, Oakland (California) Police Department scenario-based training, to evaluate the performance of new officers in the field, and to identify new areas in which training is needed. By using body-worn cameras in this way, agencies have the opportunity to raise standards of performance when it comes to tactics, communication, and customer service. This can help increase the perceived legitimacy and sense of procedural justice that communities have about their police departments. Law enforcement agencies have also found that body-worn cameras can help them to identify officers who abuse their authority or commit other misconduct and to assist in correcting questionable behavior before it reaches that level. In Phoenix, for example, an officer was fired after his body-worn camera captured repeated incidents of unprofessional conduct. Following a complaint

Perceived Benefits of Body-Worn Cameras. 7‌ Agencies are also reporting that, in most of these cases, the resolution is in support of the officer’s account of events. Chief of Police Xxxx Xxxxxxxx of Daytona Beach, Florida, recalled one example in which a member of the public threatened to file a complaint against officers following a contentious encounter. Alleging that the officers had threatened him and used racial epithets, the individual said that he would go to the news media if the department failed to take action. One of the officers involved had been wearing a body-worn camera. “We reviewed the video, and clearly the individual lied,” recalled Xxxxxxxx. “The officer was glad to have the footage because the individual’s allegations were absolutely not what was represented in the video.” Body-worn cameras have also helped to resolve more serious incidents, including officer-involved shootings. Chief Xxxxxx of Topeka said that the local district attorney cleared an officer in a deadly shooting incident after viewing the officer’s body-worn camera footage. Xxxxxx described how the camera footage captured the event in real time and provided a record of events that would otherwise not have existed. “The entire event was captured on video from the perspective of the officer. Now tell me when that happened before the advent of body-worn cameras,” said Xxxxxx. Several police departments, including those in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Greenville, North Carolina, are finding that officers with a history “The use of body-worn video by frontline of- ficers has real potential to reduce complaints of incivility and use of force by officers. The footage can also exonerate officers from vex- atious and malicious complaints. In addition, I feel there are benefits to the criminal justice system in terms of more guilty pleas, reduced costs at court, and a reduction in the num- ber of civil cases brought against the police service for unlawful arrest/excessive force. We already have good examples of body- worn video footage exonerating officers from malicious complaints.’’ – Xxxx Xxxxxx, Detective Chief Superintendent, Greater Manchester (UK) Police of complaints are now actively requesting to wear cameras. For officers who behave properly but generate complaints because they have high levels of activity or frequent contacts with criminal suspects, cameras can be seen as beneficial. “We all have our small percentage of officers with a history of complaints,” said Chief of Police Xxxxxx Xxxx of Greenville. “Internal Affairs has told me that these officers have come in to request body-worn cameras so that they can be protected in the future.” Identifying and correcting internal agency problems Another way that body-worn cameras have strengthened accountability and transparency, according to many police executives, is by helping agencies identify and correct problems within the department. In fact, PERF’s survey found that 94 e4 percent of respondents use body-worn camera footage to train officers and aid in administrative reviews. Many police agencies are discovering that body-worn cameras can serve as a useful training tool to help improve officer performance. For example, agencies are using footage from body-worn cameras to provide “We have about 450 body-worn cameras actively deployed, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, the footage demonstrates that the officer’s actions were appropriate.” – Xxxx Xxxxx, Chief of Police, Oakland (California) Police Department scenario-based training, to evaluate the performance of new officers in the field, and to identify new areas in which training is needed. By using body-worn cameras in this way, agencies have the opportunity to raise standards of performance when it comes to tactics, communication, and customer service. This can help increase the perceived legitimacy and sense of procedural justice that communities have about their police departments. Law enforcement agencies have also found that body-worn cameras can help them to identify officers who abuse their authority or commit other misconduct and to assist in correcting questionable behavior before it reaches that level. In Phoenix, for example, an officer was fired after his body-worn camera captured repeated incidents of unprofessional conduct. Following a complaint

Perceived Benefits of Body-Worn Cameras. 7‌ Agencies are also reporting that, in most of these cases, the resolution is in support of the officer’s account of eventsevents . Chief of Police Xxxx Xxxxxxxx of Daytona Beach, Florida, recalled one example in which a member of the public threatened to file a complaint against officers following a contentious encounterencounter . Alleging that the officers had threatened him and used racial epithets, the individual said that he would go to the news media if the department failed to take actionaction . One of the officers involved had been wearing a body-worn cameracamera . “We reviewed the video, and clearly the individual lied,” recalled XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxx . “The officer was glad to have the footage because the individual’s allegations were absolutely not what was represented in the videovideo .” Body-worn cameras have also helped to resolve more serious incidents, including officer-involved shootingsshootings . Chief Xxxxxx of Topeka said that the local district attorney cleared an officer in a deadly shooting incident after viewing the officer’s body-worn camera footagefootage . Xxxxxx described how the camera footage captured the event in real time and provided a record of events that would otherwise not have existedexisted . “The entire event was captured on video from the perspective of the officerofficer . Now tell me when that happened before the advent of body-worn cameras,” said XxxxxxXxxxxx . Several police departments, including those in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Greenville, North Carolina, are finding that officers with a history “The use of body-worn video by frontline of- ficers has real potential to reduce complaints of incivility and use of force by officers. The footage can also exonerate officers from vex- atious and malicious complaints. In addition, I feel there are benefits to the criminal justice system in terms of more guilty pleas, reduced costs at court, and a reduction in the num- ber of civil cases brought against the police service for unlawful arrest/excessive force. We already have good examples of body- worn video footage exonerating officers from malicious complaints.’’ – Xxxx Xxxxxx, Detective Chief Superintendent, Greater Manchester (UK) Police of complaints are now actively requesting to wear camerascameras . For officers who behave properly but generate complaints because they have high levels of activity or frequent contacts with criminal suspects, cameras can be seen as beneficialbeneficial . “We all have our small percentage of officers with a history of complaints,” said Chief of Police Xxxxxx Xxxx of GreenvilleGreenville . “Internal Affairs has told me that these officers have come in to request body-worn cameras so that they can be protected in the futurefuture .” Identifying and correcting internal agency problems Another way that body-worn cameras have strengthened accountability and transparency, according to many police executives, is by helping agencies identify and correct problems within the departmentdepartment . In fact, PERF’s survey found that 94 percent of respondents use body-worn camera footage to train officers and aid in administrative reviewsreviews . Many police agencies are discovering that body-worn cameras can serve as a useful training tool to help improve officer performanceperformance . For example, agencies are using footage from body-worn cameras to provide “We have about 450 body-worn cameras actively deployed, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, the footage demonstrates that the officer’s actions were appropriate.” – Xxxx Xxxxx, Chief of Police, Oakland (California) Police Department scenario-based training, to evaluate the performance of new officers in the field, and to identify new areas in which training is neededneeded . By using body-worn cameras in this way, agencies have the opportunity to raise standards of performance when it comes to tactics, communication, and customer serviceservice . This can help increase the perceived legitimacy and sense of procedural justice that communities have about their police departmentsdepartments . Law enforcement agencies have also found that body-worn cameras can help them to identify officers who abuse their authority or commit other misconduct and to assist in correcting questionable behavior before it reaches that levellevel . In Phoenix, for example, an officer was fired after his body-worn camera captured repeated incidents of unprofessional conductconduct . Following a complaint

Perceived Benefits of Body-Worn Cameras. 7‌ Agencies 9‌ supposed to do .” The police departments in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Spokane, Washington are also reporting that, implementing body-worn cameras to assist in most of these cases, complying with the resolution is in support collaborative agreements they entered into with the COPS Office of the officer’s account U .S . Department of eventsJustice . Chief of Police Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxx of Daytona BeachLos Angeles, Florida, recalled one example in which a member of the public threatened to file a complaint against officers following a contentious encounter. Alleging that the officers had threatened him and used racial epithets, the individual said that he would go to the news media if the whose department failed to take action. One of the officers involved had been wearing a body-worn camera. “We reviewed the video, and clearly the individual lied,” recalled Xxxxxxxx. “The officer was glad to have the footage because the individual’s allegations were absolutely not what was represented in the video.” Body-worn cameras have also helped to resolve more serious incidents, including officer-involved shootings. Chief Xxxxxx of Topeka said that the local district attorney cleared an officer in a deadly shooting incident after viewing the officer’s body-worn camera footage. Xxxxxx described how the camera footage captured the event in real time and provided a record of events that would otherwise not have existed. “The entire event was captured on video from the perspective of the officer. Now tell me when that happened before the advent of is testing body-worn cameras, understands first-hand how video evidence can help in these situations . “We exited our consent decree last year, and one of the reasons that the federal judge signed off on us was that we implemented in-car video,” said Xxxxxx. Several police departments, including those in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Greenville, North Carolina, are finding that officers with a history “The use of body-worn video by frontline of- ficers has real potential to reduce complaints of incivility and use of force by officers. The footage can also exonerate officers from vex- atious and malicious complaints. In addition, I feel there are benefits to the criminal justice system in terms of more guilty pleas, reduced costs at court, and a reduction in the num- ber of civil cases brought against the police service for unlawful arrest/excessive force. We already have good examples of body- worn video footage exonerating officers from malicious complaints.’’ – Xxxx Xxxxxx, Detective Chief Superintendent, Greater Manchester (UK) Police of complaints are now actively requesting to wear cameras. For officers who behave properly but generate complaints because they have high levels of activity or frequent contacts with criminal suspects, cameras can be seen as beneficial. “We all have our small percentage of officers with a history of complaints,” said Chief of Police Xxxxxx Xxxx of Greenville. “Internal Affairs has told me that these officers have come in to request body-worn cameras so that they Recordings can be protected in the futurehelp improve public trust .” Identifying and correcting internal agency problems Another way Evidence documentation Police executives said that body-worn cameras have strengthened accountability significantly improved how officers capture evidence for investigations and transparencycourt proceedings . Along with documenting encounters with members of the public, according to many police executives, is by helping agencies identify and correct problems within the department. In fact, PERF’s survey found that 94 percent of respondents use body-worn camera footage to train officers and aid in administrative reviews. Many police agencies are discovering that body-worn cameras can serve provide a record of interrogations and arrests, as well as what officers witness at crime scenes . Chief of Police Xxxxx Xxxxxx of Dalton, Georgia, described how body- worn cameras have helped officers to improve evidence collection at accident scenes . “It is always hard to gather evidence from accident scenes,” Xxxxxx said . He explained that officers are often focused on securing the scene and performing life-saving measures and that witnesses and victims may not always remember what they had told officers in the confusion . This can lead to conflicting reports when victims and witnesses are asked to repeat their accounts in later statements . “Unlike in-car cameras, body-worn cameras capture everything that happens as officers travel around the scene and interview multiple people . The body-worn cameras have been incredibly useful in accurately preserving information .” Some prosecutors have started encouraging police departments to use body-worn cameras to capture more reliable evidence for court, particularly in matters like domestic violence cases that can be difficult to prosecute . Chief Xxxxxxxx of Daytona Beach explained how body- worn cameras have changed how domestic violence cases are handled . “Oftentimes we know that the suspect is repeatedly abusing the victim, but either the victim refuses to press charges, or there is simply not enough evidence to go to trial,” he said . With the victim’s consent, Daytona Beach officers can now use body-worn cameras to videotape “Some police departments are doing themselves a useful training tool disservice by not using body- worn cameras. Everyone around you is going to help improve have a camera, and so everyone else is going to be able to tell the story better than you if you don’t have these cameras. And when the Civil Rights Division is looking at a police department, every piece of informa- tion that shows the department is engaged in constitutional policing is important. So of course body-worn cameras can help.” – Xxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx., Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice “Although body-worn cameras are just one tool, the quality of information that they can capture is unsurpassed. With sound policy and guidance, their evidentiary value definitely outweighs any drawbacks or concerns.” – Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Chief of Police, Xxxxxx (Georgia) Police Department victim statements . “The footage shows first-hand the victim’s injuries, demeanor, and immediate reactions,” Xxxxxxxx noted . In some cases, officers capture the assault itself on video if they arrive on the scene while the incident is still ongoing . “This means that we can have enough evidence to move forward with the case, even if the victim ultimately declines to prosecute .” Chief Xxxxxx of Topeka echoed this sentiment: “When we show suspects in domestic violence cases footage from the body-worn cameras, often they plead guilty without even having to go to trial .” Photo: Shutterstock/Xxxx Xxxxx Images Chapter 2 . Considerations for Implementation‌‌ New technologies in policing raise numerous policy issues that must be considered . This is especially true with body-worn cameras, which can have significant implications in terms of privacy, community relationships, and internal departmental affairs . As agencies develop body-worn camera programs, it is crucial that they thoughtfully examine how their policies and practices intersect with these larger questions . Policy issues to look at include the effect these cameras have on privacy and community relationships, the concerns raised by frontline officers, the expectations that cameras create in terms of court proceedings and officer performancecredibility, and the financial considerations that cameras present . For examplePrivacy considerations The proliferation of camera phones, advances in surveillance technology, and the emergence of social media have changed the way people view privacy, contributing to the sense that, as Police Commissioner Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx of Philadelphia said, it sometimes feels as though “everyone is filming everybody .” As technology advances and expectations of privacy evolve, it is critical that law enforcement agencies carefully consider how the technology they use affects the public’s privacy rights, especially when courts have not yet provided guidance on these issues . Body-worn cameras raise many privacy issues that have not been considered before . Unlike many traditional surveillance methods, body-worn cameras can simultaneously record both audio and video and capture close-up images that allow for the potential use of facial recognition technology . In addition, while stationary surveillance cameras generally cover only public spaces, body-worn cameras give “In London we have CCTVs, which are using quite extensive and becoming even more so, but the distinction is that those cameras don’t listen to your conversations. They observe behavior and see what people do and cover public space, so you can see if there is a crime being committed. But CCTVs don’t generally seek out individuals. So I think there is an important distinction there.” – Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx-Howe, Commissioner, London Metropolitan Police Service officers the ability to record inside private homes and to film sensitive situations that might emerge during calls for service . There is also concern about how the footage from body-worn cameras might be stored and used . For example, will a person be able to provide “We have about 450 body-worn cameras actively deployed, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, the footage demonstrates obtain video that was recorded inside a neighbor’s home? Will agencies keep videos indefinitely? Is it possible that the officer’s actions were appropriate.” – Xxxx Xxxxx, Chief of Police, Oakland (California) Police Department scenario-based training, to evaluate the performance of new officers in the field, and to identify new areas in which training is needed. By using body-worn cameras in this way, agencies have the opportunity to raise standards of performance when it comes to tactics, communication, and customer service. This can help increase the perceived legitimacy and sense of procedural justice that communities have about their police departments. Law enforcement agencies have also found that body-worn cameras can help them to identify officers who abuse their authority or commit other misconduct and to assist in correcting questionable behavior before it reaches that level. In Phoenix, for example, an officer was fired after his body-worn camera captured repeated incidents footage might be improperly posted online? When implementing body-worn cameras, law enforcement agencies must balance these privacy considerations with the need for transparency of unprofessional conductpolice operations, accurate documentation of events, and evidence collection . Following a complaintThis means making careful decisions about when officers will be required to activate cameras, how long recorded data should be retained, who has access to the footage, who owns the recorded data, and how to handle internal and external requests for disclosure .