Another example of why body cams are needed.

[mojo84]

There is risk in everything we do. I would take my chances and get one just as AndyC indicated he would.

My son that is working his way through college as an armed security guard purchased his own body camera for his own protection. He is confident he will do the right thing and use it judiciously he is willing to accept any potential risk from using it.

[Taypo]

Are you calling him old??

I tell you something, and I'm sure most if not all would agree - if I were a cop and my dept didn't happen to issue bodycams, I'd be investing in one for myself tout-de-suite. Excellent link, btw - thanks

I agree in general, but it is not without its own risks. I also have read of some departments that specifically ban body cameras, they don't want individual officers winging it with their own cameras.

We tend to think only of the camera being on during things like in the OP, but what if your personal, not-department-authorized camera is on when you are in someone's home for a non-criminal interaction -- are you invading their privacy? What if something embarrassing for the homeowners happened and it comes to light you videoed that? Can you be sued? Will the department, or the police union if you have one, back you up when you had a piece of unauthorized gear, even if they didn't explicitly ban cameras? Fire departments and EMS crews have had trouble with these kinds of issues, so a lot of FDs and ambulance services are banning personal recordings/pics on duty, just for this reason. To some extent, when people call on public services, they become part of the public record, but the public also still frowns on people being unnecessarily embarrassed or humiliated as well.

If I remember correctly, there were a few instances of EMS guys posting stuff to Facebook and Twitter a while back, which might have had something to do with that ban. In those cases, or a future case where a LEO did the same, I'm all for suing the crap of out of them. That doesn't mean that everyone who isn't issued a camera should be rolling without one, IMO. It just means they've gotta be responsible adults about it.

[mojo84]

Let's hope he never needs the evidence

That's my prayer.

However, it has come in handy supporting his side of a couple interactions. One of which was a guard he supervises and a lady that rearended him when he was in his patrol car. Both lied and it was obvious in the video.

[mojo84]

https://twitter.com/chucklindell/status ... 2539012096

APD Chief Acevedo: Body cams have resolved complaints very quickly. Officers want them. #txelge