Doing policing ‘by the book’: police officers’ perceptions of body-worn cameras on accountability

The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing report identifies potential benefits associated with using body-worn cameras (BWCs hereafter). One potential benefit of using BWC technology is that it may enhance police accountability. Despite BWCs becoming synonymous with police accountability over the last decade, there has been limited research on how police officers perceive BWC technology as enhancing police accountability. The current study contributes to this body of research as it utilizes survey data to examine relationships between officers’ perceptions of BWCs as an accountability mechanism and their perceptions of BWCs impact on policies/procedures, training, supervision, and review (PTSR accountability framework) within their organization. In addition, this study determines if there were changes in officers’ perceptions of BWCs on accountability after the implementation of this technology. Officers reported a higher level of agreement that BWCs would ensure greater officer accountability after using the technology for 1 year. There is also some evidence that officers are seeing the connections between elements found within the PTSR accountability framework and the overall goal of accountability within their agency.