English Comp. 101
Body Cameras as a Preventive Measure Senseless violence has filled every community, most societies, and all boundaries. At any given moment physical violence can strike out against any given person. Even police officers-who by law are commission to protect and serve-are not safe from violent acts upon their person, or from engaging in acts of violence against the very own civilian they are sworn to serve. However, in both circumstances the lines between justice and corruption, or self-defense and aggression, can be blurred beyond visibility. Often, training can take a backseat to instinct, and decisions made as a result should be subject to review by higher authorities, that the truth and justice may be served. In my opinion, police officers should be required to wear body audio and visual recorders while serving active duty within a community, in order to protect themselves and members of the community by providing an honest and accurate account of confrontation, altercations, and disputes. First of all, with all the crime and hate against police officers, body cameras are a good way to prove their innocence when they are doing their job the proper way. If they get into an altercation with someone and need to use excessive force and the public is outraged, I believe the body cameras will show what actually happened. I do not condone deadly force at all, but if the police officer is in danger and the suspect is trying to hurt or even kill him and the officer draws and shoots his weapon and the suspect dies, the camera will show if the police officer had real reason to do what he did, or if he was wrong. I also believe that a body camera will likely prevent civilians from acting out in a bad way towards officers so there will most likely end up being less crime towards one another. The cameras may also catch certain things that weren’t