Introduction
Many notable incidents have occurred throughout the years in various nations’ lengthy and tumultuous histories of violence in Police-Citizen confrontations. These actions are regarded as disorderly when police officers and regular civilians commit them against their victims while they are on duty. Due to some of these incidents being exceedingly lethal, the media coverage they receive has come under fire. Body-worn cameras (BWCs) have been widely embraced by law enforcement agencies in this situation during the past ten years in the hopes that they will enhance police conduct, accountability, and transparency, particularly concerning the use of force (Lum et al., 2020). To learn more about how BWC works to prevent disputes between police and citizens, the article by White et al. (2018) was examined.
The Purpose of the Study
The study’s main goal was assessment, primarily to determine how BWCs affected the use of force, officer complaints, and officer injuries during police-citizen interactions. In this regard, the study questions comprise the following:
- What impact do BWCs have on police use of force?
- What impact do BWCs have on complaints made against police officers?
- Do BWCs’ influence on these results change with time?
Key Independent and Dependent Variables
Independent: The use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) by treatment police, as opposed to control officers, was the study’s main independent variable.
Dependent:
- Use of force by police officers.
- Complaints against police officers and officer injuries.
According to the researchers, the use of force is defined as any physical interaction between a police officer and a civilian that causes harm or a complaint, such as handcuffing, takedowns, and the use of firearms. Any official or informal complaint made by a civilian against an officer, including complaints made to the department, was operationalized as a complaint against an officer. Officer injuries were defined as any injury experienced by an officer during an event involving force, including minor wounds like scratches and bruises.
The Time Dimension of the Study
The study’s temporal dimension was longitudinal since the data were gathered over 18 months, covering the pre-randomized controlled trial (RCT), the RCT, and the post-RCT periods. November 2014 to April 2015 was the pre-RCT phase, May 2015 to October 2015 was the RCT era, and November 2015 to April 2016 was the post-RCT period. The researchers’ ability to compare differences between the treatment and control groups was also made possible by the longitudinal design, which allowed them to assess changes in the dependent variables over time. Data were also gathered prospectively during the research period using a quasi-experimental technique with treatment and control groups. Specifically, the researchers measured the dependent variables using official department data.
Test of BWCs on Dependent Variables
To determine if BWCs were connected to the study’s dependent variables, the researchers employed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) methodology. They randomly divided the officers into two groups—the treatment group, which received BWCs, and the control group, which did not—and then tracked the outcomes of interest—use of force, complaints against police, and injuries to officers—across the two groups over time. Further, the researchers compared the within-group changes in the treatment and control groups over the RCT period, then compared the between-group differences in the pre-RCT and post-RCT periods to evaluate the data using a difference-in-differences (DID) technique. Additionally, the researchers estimated the impact of BWCs on the dependent variables using regression models while adjusting for additional variables, including officer demographics, call type, and time of day, that may affect the results.
Results of the Study
According to the study, relationships between BWC deployment and the study’s dependent variables produced conflicting findings. For instance, the study discovered that over the RCT period, the use of force events decreased by 38% in the treatment group compared to the control group; however, this difference was not statistically significant (White et al., 2018). However, the treatment group saw a 7% rise in use of force episodes over the post-RCT period. In contrast, the control group experienced a 6% drop, leading to a statistically significant between-group difference (White et al., 2018). The study discovered that, compared to the control group, the treatment group significantly decreased complaints against the police over the RCT period.
Themes
Positive but Temporary Effects
The study discovered that, particularly during the randomized controlled trial (RCT) phase, BWC deployment was linked to decreased use of force and complaints against police. However, these beneficial outcomes waned with time, with an uptick in complaints and the use of force in the post-RCT era. This implies that the early effects of BWCs can diminish with time, emphasizing the necessity for continued assessment and monitoring. The police chief in this situation should be aware that the beneficial impacts of BWCs could not be long-lasting (Wilson et al., 2021). To guarantee continuing effectiveness, BWC policies and training should be evaluated often and adjusted as necessary.
Consider Policy Changes
According to the research, the results may have been impacted by changes in department policy, such as the need for officers to record a wider range of acts, such as using force. This shows that policy changes may affect the deployment of BWC. The police chief should thus thoroughly analyze and assess departmental policy concerning BWCs. To ensure uniformity and accountability among officers, precise rules should be created about when and how BWCs should be activated.
Conclusion
Using body-worn cameras (BWCs) in law enforcement can potentially affect outcomes, including complaints against police and the use of force. However, according to studies, BWCs do not appear to have the initial effects that either residents or police officials had thought they would have on an officer’s or civilian’s conduct. According to the research, the implementation of BWC by police departments will probably result in fewer public complaints against officers. BWCs will likely result in fewer contacts because fewer complaints that officers view as frivolous will be filed, not because officer practices have changed much or because police-citizen relations have improved.
References
Lum, C., Koper, C. S., Wilson, D., Stoltz, M., Goodier, M., Eggins, E., Higginson, A., & Mazerolle, L. (2020). Body‐worn cameras’ effects on police officers and citizen behavior: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 16(3). Web.
White, M., Gaub, J. E., & Todak, N. (2018). Exploring the Potential for Body-Worn Cameras to Reduce Violence in Police–Citizen Encounters. Policing: a journal of policy and practice, 12(1), 66-76. Web.
Wilson, K., Eaton, J., Foye, U., Ellis, M. B., Thomas, E., & Simpson, A. (2021). What evidence supports the use of Body Worn Cameras in mental health inpatient wards? A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the effects of Body Worn Cameras in public sector services. International journal of mental health nursing, 31(2), 260–277. Web.