After the deaths of Eric Garner in New York and Michael Brown in Missouri there has been a demand for police to wear body cameras. The thought is that if police officers wear these body worn cameras, then the cameras can prevent officer involved shootings or reduce the use of force used by police officers. Body cameras can be worn by the officer in a variety of places (glasses, hat, chest or lapel). Research has shown that when police officers wear body cameras, there are 88% fewer incidents of use of force and 59% fewer complaints against police officers. These body cameras can also be used to assist law enforcement during the investigations of crimes. However, there are many financial issues and questions surrounding the use of body cameras. In December of 2015, the Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland vetoed a proposal that would have required police officers to wear body cameras due to the cost. Specifically, Baltimore city officials estimated that the costs would have been $2.6 million dollars a year for storage as well as the extra staff to manage the video data.
Do you agree with the Mayor's decision? Why or why not?
If you were the mayor, what choice would you make?