Argumentative Essay On Police Should Consider The Use Of Body Cameras

Being a police officer is a dangerous job, and there are often conflicting stories about what happened after a police shooting. Body cameras are one way to make their job safer and ensure that they are following the law. Often, communities feel that police do not respect their rights and there is a hostile relationship with officers. Many police departments supply their officers with body cameras. This technology offers a number of advantages. Police body cameras do not lie. They offer an objective record of incidents, which can be useful in court. All police departments should consider the mandatory use of police body cameras.
Cameras do not lie. They provide an objective record of the incident that is not distorted by either side. A criminal or police officer may lie about an altercation because they broke the law or do not what to look bad. Police should consider wearing cameras for their own protection. If they are shot or attacked, there will be recorded evidence that can be used to prosecute the perpetrators. Furthermore, the relationship between criminals and police are often bad. Cameras can offer a unbiased account of what happened.
Police are public servants and work for their communities, therefore they should be required to wear cameras. Governmental honesty is a positive aspect of a democratic society. It is important that police officers follow the law they are supposed to enforce. Body cameras are a way to make sure police are not abusing the rights of citizens. With cameras, police officers and suspects know that what they do will be recorded, and this may lead to better behavior and more positive community interactions.
However, there are privacy concerns. Many people, including police and the public, simply do not like the idea of being recorded. There are already many cameras throughout society, and police wearing cameras may seem like an invasion of privacy. If the police record everything, innocent citizens will be recorded conducting everyday activities. However, this could be minimized by only recording active criminal or traffic situations, keeping the recordings private, and erasing them regularly. The public should be made aware when they are being recorded, and the cameras should only be activated when needed. Also, cameras are already a part of everyday life. The technology is here, and it is better that they make an official recording, than a random person with a cell phone.
Being a police officer is a dangerous job, and it is easy to blame officers after the heat of a life and death situation is over. Often, the perspectives from police, suspects and bystanders are often completely different. This makes police body cameras a valuable resource that will make police safer, more effective, and more accountable to their communities. It will also make communities safer, because criminals will know their actions are recorded and can be reviewed in court. Body cameras are an effective tool that can make communities safer. Police departments should consider implementing cameras as part of their standard policing procedures.