An argumentative essay about 'Body-worn cameras should be mandatory for Law enforcement officers in the United States ' for the course English Writing Skills. This course is given in the 1st year of European Studies.
Body-worn cameras should be mandatory for
Law enforcement officers in the United States
According to CNN, a woman from Kentucky was murdered at 1 a.m on March 13 in her
apartment by three officers (CNN,13 May 2020). The 26-year-old medical worker Breonna
Taylor was the victim of an unjust police invasion. The reason for the house invasion was
related to narcotics. A statement in the police affidavit states that Taylor’s house was used
as an address to protect another man. Kenneth Walker, who was known to be Taylor’s
boyfriend at the time, was licensed with a gun and used it against the officers out of
protection. The police stated in a news conference that there is no actual body camera
footage of the incident (CNN, 13 May 2020). This brings us to the fact that Body Worn
Videos should be mandatory for law enforcement officers in the US, because this will result
in a more safe environment for both the police officers and the public, and it will also hold
the officers accountable for their actions.
Firstly, the use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement officers will enhance the safety of
the public and the officer on duty. As an officer one is obliged to protect themselves, their
colleagues but also the public (BrickHouse Security, n.d). By applying these cameras on the
front of the uniforms of officers, it will change the behavior of individuals and also the
officer. The latter is because both are aware that their behavior is being recorded and if they
misbehave this can develop into negative consequences for both parties. An example of this
in action is a three-year trial conducted by the San Diego Police department where officers
were obliged to wear body-worn cameras, this resulted in a decrease in misconduct
allegations and the level of force was also significantly decreased (Brickhouse Security, n.d).
Following this example, there was another research of one-year in Orlando, Florida where
the officers were wearing body cameras and this research resulted in fewer complaints and
the use of violence was less. Finally, seven other police departments across the United
States were involved in the research and the conclusion was similar to the previous
researches (BrickHouse Security, n.d). With the body-worn cameras in mind, the
interactions between the public and the officers will become less aggressive which will
result in a peaceful environment for everyone.
Secondly, body-worn cameras will increase the accountability of law enforcement officers.
As stated in the previous argument, when one is being filmed they become aware of their
behavior and the consequences. Officers hold a certain power that comes with their job,
which can be misused easily. The latter meaning that they can use force in both necessary
but also not necessary scenarios. The body-worn cameras will provide evidence in every
action taken and the right punishment will be given if needed. An example where the
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