U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Resources on Body-Worn Cameras

NCJ Number
249123
Journal
Techbeat Dated: July/August 2015 Pages: 9-13
Author(s)
Michele Coppola
Editor(s)
Michele Coppola
Date Published
August 2015
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article presents a brief sampling of materials available to inform law enforcement agencies on the types of body-worn cameras available for testing or purchase and to provide guidance on implementing and developing policies and procedures for the use of body-worn cameras.
Abstract

The National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit is a website that provides an extensive range of information in one place, serving as a clearinghouse to assist agencies in making decisions about adopting the use of body-worn cameras. The toolkit organizes frequently asked questions and resources by topic areas, including research, policy, technology, privacy, and training. The website address is https://www.bja.gov/bwc/. A second resource is Body-Worn Cameras for Law Enforcement Assessment Report, which is a report by the Department of Homeland Security that assesses advantages and disadvantages of seven body-worn cameras for law enforcement. This information is based on objective assessment and validation of commercially available equipment. This report is accessible online at http://www.firstresponder.gov/SAVER/Documents/Body-Worn-Cams-AR_0415-508.pdf. A third resource - Body-Worn Cameras for Criminal Justice: Market Survey - provides information on 18 commercially available devices, summarizing their features and estimated costs. This is a companion to the 2012 A Primer on Body-Worn Cameras for Law Enforcement, which provides an introduction to body-worn cameras, focusing on factors an agency should consider when planning to deploy the technology. A fourth resource - Implementing a Body-Worn Camera Program: Recommendations and Lessons Learned - is a 2014 report from the Police Executive Research Forum and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. It discusses the perceived benefits off body-worn cameras and explores the policy concerns and questions to consider when implementing this technology. A fifth resource - Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras: Assessing the Evidence - reviews the current evidence on the challenges and benefits of body-worn cameras.