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Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras: Assessing the Evidence

"Although advocates and critics have made numerous claims regarding body-worn cameras, there have been few balanced discussions of the benefits and problems associated with the technology and even fewer discussions of the empirical evidence supporting or refuting those claims. This publication provides a review of the available evidence on officer body-worn cameras. The goal is to provide a comprehensive resource that will help law enforcement agencies to understand the factors they should consider to make informed decisions regarding the adoption of body-worn camera technology" (p. 5). These sections follow an executive summary: introduction; resources and research reviewed; the perceived benefits of officer body-worn cameras; concerns and considerations regarding body-worn cameras; and conclusion and recommendations. An appendix provides a "Body-Worn Camera Policy Template".