The All Seeing Eye

     The first city police services were established in Philadelphia in 1751, and ever since it has been the officer's word against the criminal's, but this era is now coming to an end. In response to decades of police corruption and endless He said / She said testimonies, police departments all over the country think they have found an answer. Technology is now cheaper than ever and the police department's are taking advantage of it. At the start of the year the City of Los Angeles started testing out body cameras on 30 officers and expect to have up to 600 cameras out on the streets by this summer. These cameras can be mounted on glasses, belts, hats and collars. I see this as a win/ win situation. The tax payers will be relieved of millions of dollars in yearly litigation fees and court costs, while also holding the officers accountable to the law and the public. Will this end police corruption? I doubt it, but it will definitely slow it down. The cameras will capture in real time everything the officer says and does, every interaction will be recorded. These cameras will create a record of the attitude and demeanor of officers. Complaints against police often involve the way they treat citizens. Recordings offer proof positive of whether officers were rude, abusive or disrespectful. When the officers and citizens know they are being recorded, it no doubt improves the behavior and causes encounters to be less heated from both sides.
Despite the obvious advantages of the cameras, many legitimate privacy questions come up and must be answered before we move any further. When cops are called to private homes, are the interiors of those homes on video? When are the cameras turned on and off? Will neighbors or other witnesses be less likely to share information with police if they are being recorded? How long will video be stored, and when will it be released to the public? All of those questions can be answered relatively quickly. If all parties are willing, it should not take years to incorporate this important technology into policing in American cities. I personally don't like the idea of being recorded all the time, but with the recent revelations of Edward Snowden it sounds like we are already being watched anyway. If these videos will keep the police more accountable to their constitutional oath, this program has my support.- BDB

Sources- (Google Images)
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/meet-mega-cops-high-tech-crime-gear-transforms-police-work-n23841