Plan B Forum

Lord Jim wrote:I believe San Francisco, (and a number of other municipalities) already has something similar to this; a civilian review board to review police officer complaints...

I'm not sure how the "undercover" component of what you're proposing would work, lib...
How would these people know when and where a situation could arise that might involve improper police behavior? It's not something you can expect in advance.

If they're just going to follow a cop around all day to see how he handles things, surely most police officers would notice somebody following them...And on top of that a lot police interactions occur in places where no outside party could be on hand to observe what's going on. Like in a private home on a domestic dispute call.

Body cameras reduce police use-of-force, citizen complaints - study

A recently published experiment using a California police department is the first full scientific study to focus on how body cameras affect interactions between the public and law enforcement officials, researchers say.

The experiment was conducted by the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Criminology (IoC), on the Rialto Police Department in California, where one of the authors, William A. Farrar, is the police chief.

“The study focused specifically on use-of-force and citizens’ complaints, which were hypothesized to be affected by officers wearing cameras, given the possible deterrent effect of the devices on noncompliant behavior,” the authors wrote in their introduction.

“The publicity [about body cameras] has been so great that many go on to assume that cameras can fundamentally change ‘flawed’ police practices,” they noted, explaining the reasoning behind the experiment. “Despite great promises, there is no research evidence on the benefits of body-worn-cameras.”

Over the course of a year, from February 2012 to February 2013, the mid-sized police department of 115 officers participated in the experiment in Rialto, a city of 100,000 residents. All police shifts were randomly assigned to be either experimental ‒ wearing body cameras ‒ or control, meaning the officers on that shift did not wear cameras, the study authors reported in their initial analysis of the data.



Experts increasingly say that body cameras are likely to become an industry standard over the coming years, just as cameras in patrol cars - which once prompted similar objections about privacy - have become commonplace in recent decades, the Times reported in 2013.

That prediction is coming to fruition with President Barack Obama’s announcement at the beginning of December that he will seek $263 million in order to better train police officers – and a large chunk of that money will fund the purchase of roughly 50,000 body cameras for the roughly 750,000 cops across the country. The proposal came in response to protests over the shooting death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri this summer by Officer Darren Wilson, who was not wearing a body camera during the confrontation. Protests increased in November, after a grand jury did not bring charges against the policeman.

The Rialto study found that police officers who weren't wearing cameras were twice as likely to use force as those who were. During the 12-month experiment, the police department also saw a reduction in citizens' complaints compared with previous years, from 0.7 complaints per every 1,000 police contacts with the public to 0.07 complaints per 1,000 contacts. The researchers concluded that the benefits of wearing cameras trumped the costs. But Ariel insists that there isn't enough evidence so far to generalize the finding and assert that body-worn cameras offer a net benefit to community policing.

The Rialto study found that police officers who weren't wearing cameras were twice as likely to use force as those who were.

Also the geeneral public might be a little more civil towards the cops that are wearing cams knowing they are being filmed.

Lord Jim wrote:
For the most part, the rank and file police officers also support the use of body cameras..

CLEVELAND, Ohio — More than 2,000 people stood behind Barbara Owens as she silently kissed her son's name that is etched into a memorial for slain police officers. Owens — whose son Derrick was a Cleveland police officer when he was killed chasing drug dealers on March 1, 2008 — was among the some 2,500 people who showed up Saturday at the Sea of Blue rally to support police.

"We're thankful to see all the people that came out," said Derrick Owens' father, Wayne. "I know they're not all out here for my son, but I personalize it. It feels good."

The rally on Saturday was organized to contrast nationwide unrest over fatal police shootings, including the Nov. 22 shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice at Cudell Recreation Center by a rookie Cleveland police officer. People wearing blue to support the police enveloped Public Square on Saturday. The group silently marched to the Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial across on Lakeside Boulevard and West 3rd Street. Some carried signs that said "All lives matter" and "Police lives matter."

About 20 members of the group CLEdemands formed a counter-protest across the street from the Sea of Blue rally. "It's a love campaign," said protester Dylan Sellers. "We're here because of the lives lost in the struggle. This is a silent march. We're not engaging the other group."

Three family members of slain police officers spoke at the event, including the fiancée of Akron police officer Justin Winebrenner, who was fatally shot on Nov. 16 while shoving a gunman from a bar as the man fired shots. The couple was supposed to marry in June. "I was next to him" when he was shot, Tiffany Miller said. "He saved my life, among many others, on that dreadful night."

Miller said she felt guilt and grief over Winebrenner's death. "But today I feel a different emotion," she said. "Today I feel proud."

Two other speakers— Nick Gresko and Pat McLaughlin— both said they were happy about the number of people who showed up to support police. Gresko's brother, Jason Gresko, died Sept. 21, 2012, after a drunken driver smashed into his police cruiser as he responded to a call.

McLaughlin's son, Robert J. Clark II, was fatally shot investigating drug deals in Cleveland on July 2, 1998. "I think it's wonderful that people came out to support the police and that they know the police are out there trying to protect them," McLaughlin said. "I'm glad they are standing behind them strong."

Former assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor Mary A. Lentz, her brother, former Cleveland Heights Police Chief Martin Lentz, and current Cleveland Lt. Edward P. Lentz, participated in the rally and march. The group gathered around the memorial for their father and grandfather Edward G. Lentz, who was fatally shot while on duty on Dec. 9, 1957.

"What we saw here today is the strength and resolve that we have," said Edward P. Lentz. "There was no violence, just silence, standing together for everyone as we do every night."

Guinevere wrote:

Lord Jim wrote:
For the most part, the rank and file police officers also support the use of body cameras..

Where oh where does this assertion come from?

I know plenty who do not support such use. And/or would require significant stipends/increases in pay to do so.

Lord Jim wrote:Okay lib so your idea is that these agents would commit petty infractions to draw law enforcement attention, and also be backed up by other agents prepared to intervene if the decoy was abused...

I don't think this would be very effective for long; I'm sure that the identities of these folks would get around pretty quickly. This approach also sounds extremely labor intensive and expensive, and for a large department not much bang for the buck since since you're only evaluating cops one or two at a time.

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Big RR wrote:

Guinevere wrote:

Lord Jim wrote:
For the most part, the rank and file police officers also support the use of body cameras..

Where oh where does this assertion come from?

I know plenty who do not support such use. And/or would require significant stipends/increases in pay to do so.

guin--other than the fact that they can ask for it, why would police think they should be entitled to additional pay if they had body cameras?

Big RR wrote:

Guinevere wrote:

Lord Jim wrote:
For the most part, the rank and file police officers also support the use of body cameras..

Where oh where does this assertion come from?

I know plenty who do not support such use. And/or would require significant stipends/increases in pay to do so.

guin--other than the fact that they can ask for it, why would police think they should be entitled to additional pay if they had body cameras?