HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THE BODY CAMS WORN BY COPS?

The left demanded police body cams. USDOJ data shows they’ve had no impact on (already rare) use of force

Police body cameras have no impact on use of force or a variety of variables per the US Department of Justice. Is this because the data indicates that force or the threat of force by police officers is relatively rare?

 

 

By Leonard Sipes

 

Law Enforcement Today

January 31, 2022

 

 

Body camera video shows officer pointing away from child during San Diego Stop

 

Data from the CrimeSolutions.Gov indicate that police body cameras have no impact on use of force or a variety of variables measured (officer injuries, officer-initiated calls for service, traffic stops, field interviews, and arrest incidents). The USDOJ article summarizing multiple studies is below.

There will be endless people bewildered by the results. If one looks at the data as to citizen surveys regarding their interactions with cops, it shouldn’t be surprising.

I’m going to focus on use of force because that was the most important variable measured. Cameras were supposed to keep cops honest and eliminate unnecessary coercion.

The public narrative (via media accounts) over the last five years suggests that cops are semi-brutal oppressors who violate the rights of people (especially minorities) and are simply too quick to use force. Videos of “cops gone wrong” have tens of millions of views. Mandating the use of body cameras would reduce the use of violence because there would be evidence of malfeasance.

But that assumes that there is empirical evidence that the narrative lives up to the reality.

Gators And “The Narrative”

I live in Florida; alligators live right behind my house in a pond.  People see endless videos of gators walking through public streets and yards. Videos of gators being menacing are common; they have millions of views.

Thus I have friends afraid to visit us because of a perception that’s simply false. In 99.99 percent of the time, gators do everything they can to avoid humans. As I ride my bike, grandmothers walk their small dogs through gator-infested park-swamplands without a care in the world.

Yes, there is an occasional gator attack, usually when someone does something stupid. But attacks are light-years from the norm.

Yes, there are obviously times when cops do something stupid or criminal and yes, when caught on video, it’s seen endlessly thus influencing a narrative that cops are out of control.

Is the perception accurate?

Out of 40 Million Police Contacts-Two to Three Percent Involve Force “Or” Threat Of Force

An estimated 40 million U.S. residents age 16 or older, or about 17 percent of the population, had a face-to-face contact with a police officer in one year. Among people who had face-to-face contacts, about nine out of 10 residents felt the police were respectful or acted properly, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Having said this, it’s inevitable that out of 40 million yearly encounters, some will go bad. It’s a statistical reality.

Per the Bureau of Justice Statistics study, police used or threatened to use force in less than two percent of contacts.

Police Citizen Contacts

Some media commentators suggest that police use of force is growing/common/frequent during police-initiated stops. Less than 3% of U.S. residents experienced a threat “or” use of force during their most recent police-initiated contact.

Contrary to media reports, the use of force decreased for police-initiated contacts from 3.3 to 2.8 percent.

Contrary to critics, police-initiated arrests decreased considerably, 815,000 in 2015-386,000 in 2018, Contacts Between Police and the Public.

Estimates As To Police Killings Of Unarmed Black Men By Law Enforcement-The Skeptic (rearranged quotes)

In a chart offered by The Skeptic, people (based on political affiliation) estimated the number of unarmed Black men killed by law enforcement in 2019.

Estimates ranged from 100 to 1,000 to 10,000 to more than 10,000 with those claiming a liberal affiliation leading the way as to higher estimates. However, all groups including moderates to conservatives grossly exaggerated the numbers.

According to the Washington Post database, regarded as the “most complete database,” 13 unarmed black men were fatally shot by police in 2019. According to a second database called “Mapping Police Violence”, compiled by data scientists and activists, 27 unarmed black men were killed by police (by any means) in 2019, The Skeptic.

“Unarmed” doesn’t mean that the person didn’t impose a threat to himself or others. It doesn’t mean that a police officer could justifiably believe that he was armed (i.e., taking a shooter’s stance with a shiny object or was a suicide-death by cop).

According to Department of Justice research, most violent crime does not involve a firearm yet victims are routinely injured or killed.

Law Enforcement-One Of The Most Respected Institutions

Study after study, poll after poll state that the vast majority of Americans give police very high marks. While there are differences based on race or income or age or political affiliation, the majority of Americans, regardless of demographics, rate cops highly and want law enforcement in their communities, Police Public Opinion.

Conclusions/Opinions

Body cameras didn’t cut use of force because, according to citizen polls as to police actions or behaviors, it’s extraordinarily rare.

I fully understand that no amount of empirical evidence will convince detractors but the data supports my conclusions. The narrative of “out of control” cops is ingrained in our collective understanding of law enforcement prompting thousands to leave the profession.

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are thousands of officers leaving the job.  There are cities throughout the country stating that they do not have enough police officers to respond to calls. Per the Police Executive Research Forum, there is a 63 percent reduction in police recruitment. Crime (and fear of crime) is growing rapidly.

Officers tell me that they are tired of a false narrative. Their family members are insisting they get out. Many officers feel that the American public has abandoned them.

Illegal and unwarranted use of force by police officers is a reality and should be condemned and prosecuted. Every cop in the country understands this. Every citizen, regardless of who they are, needs to be treated with dignity and respect.

But the endless narratives as to “all” cops being brutal is a false stereotype as vicious as racism or sexism. If you are capable of condemning one million cops over the actions of a few, you are capable of any “ism.” It’s no wonder that police officers are bailing.

There were times when I was a police officer when I had to make an immediate decision as to using force or lethal force. Thank God I made the correct decisions. Yet I fully understood that it’s ridiculously easy for police officers to make mistakes. It’s impossible to be on the force for years and make the proper split-second decision every time and then be subject to national humiliation.

But like all ingrained perceptions, law enforcement will be stuck with a troubled reputation for years to come. In today’s social media world, videos without context are extraordinarily powerful instruments shaping public opinion.

Every poll indicates that, regardless of demographics, the vast majority of Americans trust police officers, and yes, there are differences based on race, age, or politics.

But regardless, the overwhelming majority feel that cops they interact with act appropriately, and almost all citizens want them in their communities. Per Gallup, North American law enforcement is the highest-rated police force in the world.

The results of public opinion will probably be the same regardless of officers having (or not having) body cameras.

CrimeSolutions.Gov-Office Of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice (edited for brevity)

This practice involves the use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement. The aim of this practice is to record interactions from an officer’s point of view to improve accountability and positively affect police officer behavior. 

The practice is rated No Effects for its effects on officer use of force, officer injuries, officer-initiated calls for service, traffic stops, field interviews, and arrest incidents.

Practice Goals

Body-worn cameras are recording devices worn by law enforcement officers. These cameras record activities, events, and interactions with members of the community from the officer’s vantage point. Law enforcement uses body-worn cameras for numerous reasons.

For example, the cameras can capture an objective record of events, rather than forcing agencies to rely solely on written reports from officers or accounts from citizens, thereby potentially encouraging mutual accountability during encounters.

Additionally, body-worn cameras are also thought to improve police conduct and transparency, especially regarding police use of force (Lum et al. 2020).

Practice Components

Officers can wear body-worn cameras on their clothing (on the chest, shirt pocket, collar, or shoulder) or mounted on a helmet or glasses. The cameras are small enough to be worn without encumbering officers in their regular work (Ariel, Farrar, and Sutherland 2015).

Body-worn cameras can be used in numerous ways, depending on the jurisdiction employing them. For example, some police departments give body-worn cameras only to officers in specialized units, such as tactical, gang, undercover, or K9 units.

Other departments make use of body-worn cameras for all uniformed officers. The function of the body-worn camera can also vary across jurisdictions. Some cameras turn on by default and remain in operation through the officer’s entire shift (though there are some exceptions for interactions with informants, or in cases of serious sexual assault).

Other cameras are turned on manually by the officers wearing them. Law enforcement officers can be instructed to inform citizens that the body-worn camera is on and recording them, though some agencies do not require such notifications (Lum et al. 2020).

Practice Theory

The use of body-worn cameras is rooted in two theories: deterrence theory and perceived social surveillance. Deterrence theory states (in part) that the certainty of getting caught and punished for wrongdoing decreases the likelihood of engaging in wrongdoing.

In the case of body-worn cameras, the camera serves as a “credible threat” in the detection of negative behaviors, such as the use of excessive force by police officers, and thus decreases the likelihood of those behaviors (Ariel et al. 2016).

Additionally, research proposes that people are more likely to adhere to social norms and change their conduct in a socially desirable direction when they are aware of being observed (Farrar and Ariel 2013).

When civilians are aware they are being monitored through a body-worn camera, they are less likely to be aggressive and more inclined to cooperate with law enforcement officers. In turn, police officers would be less likely to react inappropriately by behaving in a rude manner or using excessive force.

Justice Systems or Processes – Use of force
Aggregating the results from 26 studies, Lum and colleagues (2020) found that the use of body-worn cameras by police officers did not have a statistically significant impact on officers’ use of force.

Crime & Delinquency – Assault on officer/officer injuries/resistance
Aggregating the results from 15 studies, Lum and colleagues (2020) found that the use of body-worn cameras by police officers did not have a statistically significant impact upon assaults on officers, officer injuries, and resistance to officers.

Crime & Delinquency – Multiple crime/offense types
Aggregating the results from 13 studies, Lum and colleagues (2020) found that the use of body-worn cameras by police officers did not have a statistically significant impact on arrests.

Justice Systems or Processes – Officer-initiated calls for service
Aggregating the results from eight studies, Lum and colleagues (2020) found that the use of body-worn cameras by police officers did not have a statistically significant impact on general measures of officer-initiated calls for service or proactivity.

Crime & Delinquency – Traffic stops/traffic tickets
Aggregating the results from five studies, Lum and colleagues (2020) found that the use of body-worn cameras by police officers did not have a statistically significant impact on traffic stops or tickets (specific measures of proactivity by officers).

Justice Systems or Processes – Field interviews/stop and frisk
Aggregating the results from five studies, Lum and colleagues (2020) found that the use of body-worn cameras by police officers did not have a statistically significant impact on stop-and-frisk stops – also called pedestrian stops—and field interviews (a specific measure of proactivity by officers).