Through an Australian Lens: The Influence of Body-Worn Cameras on Complaints Against Police—Beyond the Numbers

Abstract

Globally, police and law enforcement agencies have looked to Body-Worn Cameras (BWC) for the promise they may offer to address the many and varied complex issues faced in policing a rapidly changing modern society. This paper discusses the evaluation of the use of BWCs in the 17,000+ officer New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF) and the results specifically associated with implications for the topical and widely impactful complaints against police domain. The evaluative research is one of the first of its kind in Australia and the quantitative and qualitative data (from questionnaires and interviews) was sourced from members of the community, legal profession, judiciary, front line police officers, police managers, victims of crime advocacy groups, multicultural group representatives and organizational data, to inform on the potential impact from the deployment of BWCs by NSWPF officers. The results indicate potential, substantial advantages with data trends indicating a reduction in the number of complaints received and a reduction in the number of citizen complaints against officers upheld. The efficiency of triaging complaint submissions and the associated reported increase in officer morale are key areas to which the literature to date is an under-explored aspect of the police use of BWCs. This study offers a contribution to the constantly evolving body of literature and importantly contributing to informing policing policy, operational procedures and initiatives in safeguarding police officers and the community they serve.