Some of the feel good videos that are making there way across social media platforms are heart warming. None more so than the encouraging ways that police officers are interacting with the public. From the video of the single officer who joins in a basketball game instead of breaking up a possible noise complaint to the trio of officers who join in a flash mob song and dance routine in a mall food court, there are many times when police officers are caught being their best selves.
We live in a time when many of us are quick to judge others. Fortunately, with the use of car dashboard cameras, police body cams, and other surveillance methods seek to protect the reputations of both officers and the safety of the public. In car camera systems, in fact, are increasingly used by police departments of all size.
Car Dashboard Cameras Provide Safety Measures to Hold Officers Accountable
If you have ever been pulled over for speeding or another kind of moving violation, you understand the angst that can follow. Caught in an infraction, many of us not only are angry and frustrated, but concerned and worried as well. On an empty stretch of road or on a crowded corner in a city, many of us are worried about our own actions, but we are also concerned about the actions and intent of the officer who has pulled us over. With the use of the latest body cams and other kinds of monitoring equipment, however, the general public can feel more confident in their own safety.
Body cameras for security officers, as well as police officers, are increasingly popular. As the general public and the lawyers for police departments work to hold officers more accountable for the actions that they take, it is encouraging to know that these surveillance techniques also capture the good that is going on with officers across the country.
Not surprising, a recent evaluation of body cameras in the Rialto, California Police Department showed a 60% drop in use of force by officers. This statistic alone indicates that officers may be more likely to tamper their behaviors when they know that they are being monitored. In addition, a 2015 study indicated that police officers wearing cameras were 25.2% more likely to consider the devices helpful during interactions with the public.
Whether car dashboard cameras or other body camera devices are used in a large or small community, the hope is that these surveillance devices will capture not just the bad, but also the good that these officers provide to a community.
