Body-worn cameras and court proceedings: A qualitative study of police officers’ expectations

Abstract

Body-worn cameras (BWCs) record interactions between members of the public and law enforcement, with expected legal benefits. This study examines police officers’ perceptions of BWC usage in court through individual interviews and focus groups with 78 officers. Most of the participants were involved in a 6-month BWC pilot program, which was only the third BWC implementation in the Canadian province of Quebec. Police officers are largely optimistic about the use of BWCs in court and expect their footage to serve as visual evidence, to replace portions of written reports, and corroborate their testimony. However, they worry that BWC footage could be used by defense lawyers to challenge report discrepancies, leading to substantial impacts on legal proceedings. The BWC pilot program did not exacerbate their apprehensions about the technology’s potential limitations. The central role of police officers in the use of BWC footage as evidence is highlighted.