Police officers in Rialto, Calif., carry cameras to record their every action while on duty. The city says the program has reduced complaints against police officers by 88 percent during the first year.
The idea is sparking debate across the country. On Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union endorsed the idea. In a short position paper endorsing the idea, it also emphasized the potential for the technology to be misused, and recommended policies to minimize the potential downsides.
“Although we generally take a dim view of the proliferation of surveillance cameras in American life, police on-body cameras are different because of their potential to serve as a check against the abuse of power by police officers,” the civil liberties group argues.
