Topic > Discussion on whether or not police should wear body cameras

Should police be held accountable for their actions? Would you like police to wear body cameras? In today's world, police without body cameras behave differently than those who have them. The cameras are small, but they capture everything. Although some people say that the police should have the right to turn the camera on or off whenever they want, the police should wear body cameras because it would confirm the truth and make them use less force, which would make citizens safer. plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayOne of the reasons why police should wear body cameras is that the body cameras would confirm the truth. If the police were arrested for shooting someone when they did not shoot that person, the judge sees the footage and may believe the officer's statement. According to Opfacing Viewpoints, the video recording tells the judge the truth. One of the stories in Opposing Views involves a boy named Harrison. He was bipolar, schizophrenic, which is a psychiatric illness characterized by episodes of "mania". His mother called the police to help her take her son to the hospital because her son was not taking his medicine. When his mother opened the door, Harrison approached the door with a screwdriver in his hand. The police officers asked him to drop the screwdriver. Seconds after asking Harrison to drop the screwdriver, he was shot. Harrison died from gunshot wounds. The police officers were wearing a body camera, but they did not show it to the judge, so the judge had no idea whether Harrison was trying to attack the police officers with the screwdriver or not. The police officers were not convicted of shooting Harrison. The police officers should have been arrested. Therefore, police officers should wear body cameras because they confirm the truth. Another reason why police should wear body cameras is that body cameras would cause them to use less force. When the police are observed, their behavior changes and they are more concerned about the safety of citizens and use less force. According to Vice News, a 2015 study showed that complaints in San Diego dropped by 40 percent and use of force dropped by 46.5 percent when police started wearing body cameras. This suggests that body cameras help monitor what the police do and how they act. Instead of acting with force, the police were more peaceful. Similarly, the study also found that in Rialto, California, complaints dropped by 88 percent and use of force dropped by 60 percent when police started wearing body cameras. According to Vice News, the use of force has decreased in Rialto and San Diego. Having police wear body cameras can decrease the number of complaints and significantly decrease the level of force. Police should wear body cameras because this will make them use less force. On the other hand, some people say that the police should have the right to turn the camera on or off whenever they want. This view makes sense because if a police officer goes to someone's house to say that a family member has died, they can shut it down because that information is only for the family. Furthermore, the police should have the right to turn the camera on or off whenever they want, for privacy reasons. Would you like someone watching every move you make? However, if they could choose when to turn the camera on or off, they could turn it on or off mid-conversation with?