Things to Consider Before Buying Body Cams
Whether you are a law enforcement officer or just someone who wants to keep an eye on your family, wearing a body camera can help you protect yourself and others. However, there are some important things to consider before you purchase one.
Quality of video
Considering the fact that you’re using a body camera you need to ensure you are recording the most efficient video quality possible. Fortunately, there are many options on the market to choose from. Among the best in a given price range are Panasonic, Sony, Hitachi and Samsung. Each of these brands has a dedicated body camera team that is responsible for the design, build, testing and implementation of their products. This makes the decision process a breeze.
The quality of video can wreak havoc on the effectiveness of video evidence. This is especially true in the case of a use of force incident. While the quality of video may be an ad hoc affair, there are some tried and true measures you can take to mitigate the damage.
Privacy concerns
Despite claims to the contrary, the use of police body cams raises significant privacy concerns. These devices can record everything that the police see, hear and speak. They are exemplary of other surveillance technologies. In addition, they can be easily tampered with by officers.
In the absence of clear guidelines and standards, police body cams could jeopardize privacy rights and undermine accountability for police officers. There are a number of ways that agencies can address these issues. One option is to allow the non-critical video to be deleted, which does not threaten the privacy of those who have been recorded. However, this option would be time consuming and costly.
Another way to address privacy issues with body cams is to enact legislation to protect the footage from release. This would prevent the public from using footage to investigate misconduct by officers. However, this may be an overly simplistic solution.
Laws governing their use
Whether a law enforcement agency is a fan of body worn video camera supplied by Comvision or not, it’s important to have a well-thought-out policy on the matter. For one thing, you need a plan for storing, transferring, and reviewing the video footage of an event. That means you’ll need to come up with a strategy for identifying who owns the footage, how they intend to use it, and who is going to see it. A third party isn’t going to be able to independently access the footage, and you don’t want to leave any wiggle room for a lawsuit.
In addition to enacting a policy, a law enforcement agency must also take the time to review its own practices for the aforementioned omen. One of the best ways to do this is to implement a uniform code. By establishing a standard protocol for all officers, it’ll be easier to ensure consistency throughout the Commonwealth.
Legality in public areas
Several states have enacted laws that regulate the use of body cameras by law enforcement officers. These laws are designed to protect the privacy rights of the citizens who are filmed. Some of these laws are similar to those that protect privacy in public records laws. Other states are considering their own laws.
Body camera footage is not considered a public record. This means that the footage cannot be released to the public unless a judge approves it. However, there are exceptions for disclosure of body camera videos. For example, the footage is not disclosed if it violates the privacy of a subject or if it is part of an ongoing investigation.