Freeze, You’re on Camera: Can Body Cameras Improve American Policing on the Streets and at the Borders?

Authors

Connie Felix Chen

Abstract

In the United States, recent killings of civilians by law enforcement have propelled body cameras to the forefront of solutions to the “epidemic” of police misconduct. Preliminary studies suggest that body cameras create a win-win situation for both the police and the public by producing a civilizing effect on all parties involved. The problem, however, is that not every law enforcement agency has a body camera program. And among those that do, the surprising lack of legal action raises the question: How effective are body cameras in ensuring that justice is served?

This Note discusses the use of body cameras in American policing on the streets and at the borders. It provides a background into the problem of police misconduct and highlights arguments in favor of and cautioning against body camera technology. Finally, in light of the Trump administration’s pro-law enforcement stance, this Note investigates high-profile police killings and assesses existing border policies to consider whether body cameras can truly deliver on their promise.

Recommended Citation

Connie Felix Chen, Freeze, You’re on Camera: Can Body Cameras Improve American Policing on the Streets and at the Borders?, 48 U. MIA Inter-Am. L. Rev. 141 (2017)
Available at: https://repository.law.miami.edu/umialr/vol48/iss3/7