Addressing Concerns with Body Cameras

After the recent Michael Brown and Eric Garner, many have called for police to wear body cameras, and some police departments have already begun to implement the devices.  Body cameras would resolve most of the factual disputes that can arise during a police encounter; however, skeptics have brought to light several societal and privacy concerns that we must address before fully incorporating a camera into the police uniform.  First, departments must create strict protocol regarding the activation and deactivation of the body cameras.  Second, departments must establish proper standards for the use and storage of the video.

Police Use of Force: Insufficient Training

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Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two part blog post examining police use of force. Part one examines the deferential legal standards applied to police use of force. Part two examines the relationship between officer training and police use of force.

Continuing from last week’s post on the deferential legal standards that allow police officers to use force without fear of any form of accountability, this second part focuses on the need to train police officers to be members of a community. To facilitate trust amongst the citizens living in the neighborhoods they patrol, officers can unilaterally diminish the frequency with which they must resort to force.  As such, the police departments should foster this idea in the way they train current and future police officers.

Police Use of Force: Deferential Legal Standards

View image | gettyimages.com

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two part blog post examining police use of force. Part one examines the deferential legal standards applied to police use of force. Part two will be published next week and will examine the relationship between officer training and police use of force.

In December 2009, Albuquerque police responded to a domestic violence call where they discovered a man had doused himself in gasoline.  Several police officers managed to place the man in handcuffs and removed him from the apartment.  The man resisted the officers by banging his head against the wall.  In response, several officers used their Tasers in drive-stun mode^[1], setting the man on fire.  This account is one of many examples listed in the 2014 Department of Justice’s civil investigation into the practices by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD).  The findings concluded the department engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force--in many cases deadly force--violating the Fourth Amendment’s right to be free from unreasonable seizures.

           

The Defense of Justification: An Analysis of the Case Against Darren Wilson

As news spreads of the shooting of Michael Brown by Darren Wilson, many have already begun to speculate as to the result.  Some say Wilson will go to jail murdering a boy in cold blood, and others say he was justified in defending himself and should not face jail time for doing his job.  Although the facts of the case are not crystal clear, it is important to view the facts and apply the law in as unbiased a manner as possible.  An analysis of the relevant statutes and possible facts of the case follows.

Police Worn Cameras: Technology Gift or Privacy Curse?

In an era where virtually everyone has the capacity to record video, it comes as no surprise that some police forces have decided to equip officers with body-worn cameras to wear during traffic stops and investigations.  The use of technology raises many questions concerning privacy rights of both citizens and officers and the public perception of police officers while using cameras.  The effect still remains to be seen, but some interesting statistics have been offered in support of use by a new report studying the success of programs which implement police-worn camera devices.