Cops and cameras: Officer perceptions of the use of body-worn cameras in law enforcement

• Police officers are open to and supportive of the use of body-worn cameras.
• Officers believe that body-worn cameras can improve citizen behavior.
• Officers perceive that body-worn cameras can improve their behavior.
• Officers feel that body-worn cameras can improve their fellow officers’ behavior.
• Officers do not believe that body-worn cameras will impact willingness to respond.

PurposeThere has been a recent surge in the adoption of and media attention to the use of body-worn cameras in law enforcement. Despite this increase in use and media attention, there is little to no research on officer perceptions of body-worn cameras.MethodsThis study relies on baseline data of officer perceptions toward body-worn cameras collected from surveys administered to Orlando Police officers who are participants in a randomized experiment evaluating the impact of body-worn cameras (Taser AXON Flex) in law enforcement.ResultsResults suggest that police officers are, by and large, open to and supportive of the use of body-worn cameras in policing, they would feel comfortable wearing them, and that they perceive a potential for benefits of body-worn cameras in improving citizen behavior, their own behavior, and the behavior of their fellow officers.ConclusionsOfficers are generally supportive of body-worn cameras, and they hold perceptions that these devices can be beneficial in positively affecting relevant outcomes. Study limitations and implications are also discussed.