How You and the Police Benefit From In Car Video Cameras
The next time you drive by a police car, be sure to be on your best behavior. Not only do you have to make sure that you’re driving at the speed limit, but also be sure you aren’t doing anything else illegal, like texting, or talking on the phone without a hands-free device.
Why?
Because almost 75% of police cars now have vehicle camera systems. This means that they often catch routine traffic stops on their dash cameras, and can replay these if you try to dispute any ticket.
While this might end up being problematic for you, these cameras are beneficial for the police force in more ways than one.
With the help of police car video cameras, police officers are often much safer. When they are out on patrol, a routine stop could turn into a more dangerous situation if the person who was stopped becomes violent or argumentative. What is recorded on the in car dash camera can be used to prove that the policeman or policewoman was either being verbally or physically assaulted.
This also leads to greater accountability and transparency for any police department. It is no secret that the general public often scrutinizes police officers for their conduct, and also believes that these officers “do what they want,” simply because their word is considered more credible. Accusations of racial profiling have been rampant over the years, as well as unfair, unjust treatment, and these videos could be the best way for police officers to prove their innocence.
Conversely, if someone has been pulled over, and the officer is acting outside the guidelines laid down by his or her department, the video can hold the officer accountable for his or her actions.
In addition, a vehicle camera system can be an ideal training tool for newer cops. Classrooms and older videos of police in action can only provide these rookies with so much information about how to handle police work effectively. A video from a recent arrest or traffic stop can be the best way to expose these new cops to real life situations they will face as they patrol the streets.
So, even if these cameras end up being more of a pain for you as a driver, just think about how they ultimately make all police officers better at their job.