Abstract
ABSTRACT The body-worn camera (BWC), an audio and video recording device, has been increasingly adopted by law enforcement across the globe. Drawing on a qualitative study, this paper will explore the use of these mobile devices in the UK and examine the challenges that have been faced during its implementation in two British police forces. In particular, we will discuss how these cameras move with the police officer’s bodily movements (both intentionally and unintentionally) and are used for policing purposes in different settings (such as urban and rural contexts or different operational units). Based on a set of semi-structured interviews with 26 police officers, this article will explore the contextual, technical and ethical challenges that hinder the use of BWCs in such settings. This study concludes that these practical and techno-social challenges are often interlinked. The context of use of these cameras and how they operate technically are connected, often raising significant ethical issues particularly for data management and storage. Ultimately it is argued that the operational perspective of the frontline officer is invaluable when designing and implementing technologies so they are policeman-proof.
Highlights
The body-worn camera (BWC) is an audio and video recording device attached to a police officer’s body
Other police forces in the UK have been equipped with BWCs and plan to extend their operational use (CoPaCC 2017)
This research was conducted with two British police forces that were in the process of implementing new BWCs to replace older devices that were being used
Summary
The body-worn camera (BWC) is an audio and video recording device attached to a police officer’s body. BWCs move spatially and physically with the police officer’s bodily movements and act as a mediating object that shapes how police and citizens interact (Louis et al 2019). BWCs are ‘on the move’ to becoming a more widely used tool in policing practice. There has been significant investment in BWCs globally, and most British police forces have been implementing this technology, with more than 70% forces already using these cameras (Big Brother Watch 2017). The Metropolitan Police has the largest rollout of BWCs by police in the world (over 22,000). Other police forces in the UK have been equipped with BWCs and plan to extend their operational use (CoPaCC 2017).
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