The Quarterly
keeps our law enforcement agencies and their partners and supporters informed of developments, trends, and news within the body-worn camera (BWC) field and encourages involvement in our ongoing activities.
The Quarterly
provides the most up-to-date tools and technical assistance materials for your continued success in navigating and implementing a long-lasting, successful BWC program.
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In this Issue:
- BWC TTA Team Spotlight
- BJA National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit
- Featured BWC TTA Resources
- Latest Research on BWCs
- Special Feature: Key Trends in Body-Worn Camera Policy and Practice: A Policy Analysis of US Department of Justice-Funded Law Enforcement Agencies
- In Case You Missed It!
- Practices from the Field
- BWCs in the News
Quick Links
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The BWC TTA Team Spotlight
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Charles Stephenson
BWC TTA
Senior Advisor
Charles Stephenson is a senior advisor for the BJA BWC TTA initiative and is currently a public safety technologist for CNA. For the past 15 years, he has assisted public safety agencies in addressing their technology needs and challenges while supporting the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance along with various Offices of Justice Bureaus, such as the National Institute of Justice and the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers. Some of his more notable work involves the implementation of body-worn cameras, the use of situational awareness tools, the development of dynamic open architecture radios, gunshot detection technologies, and methods to combat the illicit use of cell phones in correctional facilities. Mr. Stephenson is a retired Army Officer who served in the Signal and Ordnance Corps. Mr. Stephenson holds an MBA in project management from Columbia Southern University and a BS Degree from the University of Maryland.
Meet the rest of the BWC TTA team
here.
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BJA National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit
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The BJA National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit is a comprehensive clearinghouse for criminal justice practitioners interested in planning and implementing a BWC program to improve evidentiary value and officer safety.
This toolkit organizes frequently asked questions, resources, and other information by key topics areas, including research, policy, technology, privacy, training, and stakeholders.
This BJA National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit consolidates and translates the developing body of knowledge on BWCs for law enforcement, criminal justice professionals, advocacy organizations, and community members.
To review the resources provided through the BJA National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit, please visit the
website.
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Featured BWC TTA Resources
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Ask a BWC Expert
Have a question about BWCs? Complete and submit the
form,
and someone from the BWC TTA Team will be in touch with you shortly!
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Body-Worn Camera Speakers Bureau
The Body-Worn Camera Speakers Bureau is one part of this comprehensive effort. The Bureau connects body-worn camera subject matter experts with associations and agencies that request a speaker at an organized state, local, or tribal event.
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In View: Commentary from BWC Experts
In View is a resource that features commentary from BWC experts, including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers on emerging BWC issues . To date, In View has addressed BWC auto-triggering technologies, BWC compliance, key trends in BWC policies, and lessons learned from the BWC implementation program thus far.
To view previous commentary, please visit our
website.
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Latest Research on Body-Worn Cameras
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Author(s) Abstract:
The Milwaukee Police Department’s body-worn camera (BWC) program began in October 2015 as a BJA-funded Strategies for Policing Innovation response to strained police relations in the city’s communities of color that were exacerbated by several highly public police shootings of black men in Milwaukee and across the country. The Urban Institute surveyed Milwaukee community members in April 2016, September 2017, and July 2018 about their attitudes toward the police department and its BWC program, as part of a rigorous, independent evaluation. Survey findings indicate that public knowledge of the BWC program grew substantially each year, and most community members held positive views of the program and the Milwaukee Police Department. Yet these views varied over the years and by key demographic characteristics.
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Author(s) Abstract:
Body-worn cameras (BWCs) have become a central topic of policing reforms within the past few years. In the wake of recent high-profile use of force cases, many police departments accelerated their plans to implement BWCs. Conservative estimates suggest up to one-third of police departments in the US are using BWCs, with that count increasing rapidly. The rapid adoption of BWCs has outpaced research into the impact that this technology has had on policing. Most studies of BWCs to date have focused on two main outcomes, namely officer use of force and citizen complaints against officers. Research points towards significant declines in both of these outcomes due to BWC implementation.
However, the impact of BWCs is believed to go beyond officer use of force and citizen complaints. For instance, police officials often note that there is overall public approval of BWCs, and that implementing a BWC program can help increase perceptions of police legitimacy. However, this rationale had not been rigorously tested until the current study. The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess changes in citizen perceptions due to BWC use. With support from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF), PERF was able to conduct this RCT in partnership with the Arlington, TX, Police Department (APD). Overall, respondents had favorable impressions of their interactions with Arlington police officers. With average perception scores typically greater than four out of five, the results are consistent with the Arlington community seeing the local police as
legitimate and professional.
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Author(s) Abstract:
In the first article of a three-part series by the National District Attorney's Association (NDAA) on widespread deployment of body-worn cameras (BWCs) by law enforcement, NDAA argued that policymakers and law enforcement leaders face a broad and complex set of decisions that must be made now. These vital decisions divide into the same basic categories as most big data or technology policy questions:
- Collection and analysis of data;
- Storage (including cloud storage), disclosure, and retention or destruction of data;
- Secondary use and repurposing of data.
As the second article in this series, NDAA considers the most important collection issues that must be decided immediately upon BWC deployment, in order to forestall complex problems down the line. While there are important economic and compatibility decisions to be made in purchasing BWCs themselves, the tough problems really begin when the cameras are turned on and petabytes of video, and potentially audio, data begin to stream into servers located at law enforcement agencies and in the cloud.
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Author(s) Abstract:
Despite relatively little extant research, efforts to expand the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in policing are increasing. Although recent research suggests positive impacts of BWCs on reducing police use of force and citizen complaints, little is known about community members’ perceptions of BWCs. The current study examined perceptions of residents of two Florida counties and found a large majority of respondents supported the use of BWCs. Structural equation modeling was utilized to examine factors that influence views of BWCs. Findings indicate that positive perceptions of police performance and more police interaction were associated with greater perceived benefits of BWCs, whereas concerns about the privacy reduced perceived BWC benefits. Respondents’ views of procedural fairness and crime concern were indirectly related to perceptions of BWC benefits. Non-white and younger respondents were indirectly less likely to perceive benefits. Implications of these findings and future directions for research are discussed.
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Special Feature:
Key Trends in Body-Worn Camera Policy and Practice: A Policy Analysis of US Department of Justice-Funded Law Enforcement Agencies
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Dr. Michael D. White, Dr. Charles Katz, and Michaela Flippin
The CNA Corporation, Arizona State University (ASU), and Justice and Security Strategies (JSS) provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to law enforcement agencies who have received funding for body-worn cameras (BWCs) through the US Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) BWC Policy and Implementation Program (PIP). Administrative policy review is a central feature of TTA. The TTA team developed a BWC policy review process to assess the comprehensiveness of BWC policies, which is assessed through a BWC Policy Review Scorecard. This report describes the results of an analysis of 212 policies from FY 2015 (n=54), FY 2016 (n=75), and FY 2017 (n=83) grantees.
Through reviewing the 212 agency policies, we identified 24 key BWC policy trends across 10 important BWC issues. Several of the trends involve substantial policy differences between FY 2015, FY 2016, and FY 2017 grantees, suggesting that agencies have refined their approaches to specific policy issues over time.
To view the entire report, click
here.
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Webinar: BWCs and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Integration
On September 12, 2018, the Body-Worn Camera Training and Technical Assistance Team presented a webinar on "BWCs and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Integration".
Through integrating BWC and CAD systems, agencies can streamline information
. During this webinar, participants heard from sites who discussed their experiences with integrating CAD data into their BWC systems, the challenges they faced in combining both systems, the benefits they experienced, and the lessons they learned for other agencies looking to do the same. Participants gained a better understanding of this technology as well as the potential best practices to follow when integrating these technologies.
Elliot Harkavy, Technology Advisor for BWC TTA, set the context for this webinar by discussing the technology, the research that is currently available, and potential best practices.
Participants who discussed approaches
to implementing BWC-CAD integration technologies included:
- William Brown, Captain, Fayetteville, Arkansas Police Department
- Lilly Hotard, Lieutenant, Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff's Office
- Robert Lisotta, Sergeant, Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff's Office
To view the entire webinar recording, click
here
.
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Body-Worn Camera Program:
Schenectady, New York, Police Department
Since being awarded a BWC TTA Grant in October 2017, the Schenectady, New York, Police Department (SPD) has received BJA approval of their BWC policy, created a stakeholders group that meets regularly, and tested and evaluated four BWC systems. The SPD stakeholder group consists of several community groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the department’s union. In addition to hosting regular meetings, SPD sent a survey out to the group members to give them an opportunity to voice their opinion even if they were unable to attend the meeting in person.
During the planning phase, SPD conducted a peer exchange with Rochester, New York, to view their BWC program. This peer exchange greatly informed how SPD established their BWC program and allowed them to bypass many of the challenges faced by departments implementing BWC programs. Because of this forethought, the only challenge SPD faced was some minor concerns from their officers regarding the technology. The BWC TTA Team is currently identifying a subject expert to perform an on-site visit to SPD to address these concerns.
SPD plans to have their BWC program fully implemented by January 2019. The department plans to deploy BWCs to additional units beyond patrol in the near future. SPD has been very transparent throughout the grant program, asked for assistance when needed, and provided valuable lessons learned to the BWC TTA Team. Ms. Rhinerson has thoroughly enjoyed working with SPD and encourages other sites to look to them as a peer for community engagement.
To learn more about the Schenectady, New York,
Police Department, visit their
website
.
If your agency would like to be
featured in the next issue of The Quarterly,
please
contact us
.
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Body-Worn Cameras in the News
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September 24 was the last chance to be informed about the Tallahassee Police Department's new body cameras. TPD Chief Michael DeLeo: "I just think it is really important for them to understand how the cameras are actually going to work, what the department's policies are, how we are maybe doing things differently from what they have heard from other agencies around the country, how they are implementing body cameras, and also if they have questions."
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Lawrence, KS, city commissioners will review the Lawrence Police Department’s policy for body cameras, but city officials advised that some aspects would be outside commissioners’ authority. At the City Commission’s meeting Tuesday, Commissioner Leslie Soden again asked about the review of the body camera policy and what kind of input the commission wanted to have. “It seems like I’m the one that’s pushing that we even talk about it, so I wanted to hear you all’s ideas,” Soden said. Vice Mayor Lisa Larsen said her assumption had been that the policy would go back to the commission for review and that commissioners would be allowed to comment on it, but she asked City Manager Tom Markus whether that was indeed the case.
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Patrol officers and their commanders on the streets in the Electric City will respond to emergency calls with body-worn cameras in a few months. Assistant Police Chief Michael Seber said Tuesday that 18 patrol officers and sergeants over the past five weeks volunteered to test body camera models and related equipment and hardware from two companies before critiquing the systems. As part of the second phase of testing and training, the department will soon repeat the process for two other vendors.
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The region’s biggest police department is finally getting body cameras, making it the last in Hampton Roads to adopt the technology. Virginia Beach police announced that they’ve begun issuing them to a small number of officers. The goal is to have all officers wearing the devices within the next 1½ to 2 years. The distribution will be done in four phases, with about 110 officers receiving them in each one, said Capt. Todd Jones, who has overseen the multi-million dollar project.
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Two New Jersey policemen are being praised after saving the life of a young girl who nearly drowned in a residential pool. Newark Police responded to a call Sunday afternoon that a 2-year-old girl in the North Ward section of the city was "not breathing" after being in a pool, the Newark Department of Public Safety said in a statement. Officers Malikul Aziz and Shaquille Johnson of the 2nd Precinct arrived and quickly performed first aid on the girl, clearing her airways. The girl was brought to a local hospital and is reportedly in stable condition.
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Points of view or opinions in this content are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
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This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-DE-BX-K002 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
Points of view or opinions in this content are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
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