TY - JOUR
T1 - One Size Doesn’t Fit All
T2 - The Deployment of Police Body-Worn Cameras to Specialty Units
AU - Gaub, Janne E.
AU - Todak, Natalie
AU - White, Michael
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Kathy Armstrong, Steven Carbajal, John Giltinan, Jeffrey Loewenhagen, Anthony Miller, Michael Pearce, and Dane Sorensen for their invaluable assistance in coordinating the focus groups, and especially the officers who participated in the focus groups. We also thank Lauren Arenas, Mario Muñiz, and Quin Patterson for their assistance with transcription and the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was funded by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Georgia State University.
PY - 2020/6/1
Y1 - 2020/6/1
N2 - Although body-worn cameras (BWCs) have diffused rapidly in law enforcement both in the United States and abroad, questions have emerged regarding the potential utility of BWCs for specialized police units. Given the near-sole focus on patrol during BWC implementation, the role of specialty units in BWC deployment is often overlooked. Further, the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges associated with BWCs may be unique for specialty units compared to patrol, given their differences in mission and operational focus. We explore this issue using qualitative data from 17 focus groups with 72 officers assigned to specialty units in two midsize Western police departments. The findings highlight the importance of carefully considering unit mission when making decisions about BWCs, especially related to policy and procedure.
AB - Although body-worn cameras (BWCs) have diffused rapidly in law enforcement both in the United States and abroad, questions have emerged regarding the potential utility of BWCs for specialized police units. Given the near-sole focus on patrol during BWC implementation, the role of specialty units in BWC deployment is often overlooked. Further, the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges associated with BWCs may be unique for specialty units compared to patrol, given their differences in mission and operational focus. We explore this issue using qualitative data from 17 focus groups with 72 officers assigned to specialty units in two midsize Western police departments. The findings highlight the importance of carefully considering unit mission when making decisions about BWCs, especially related to policy and procedure.
KW - body-worn cameras (BWCs)
KW - focus groups
KW - police
KW - randomized-controlled trial (RCT)
KW - specialty units
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U2 - 10.1177/1057567718789237
DO - 10.1177/1057567718789237
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85052536414
SN - 1057-5677
VL - 30
SP - 136
EP - 155
JO - International Criminal Justice Review
JF - International Criminal Justice Review
IS - 2
ER -