This is The Marshall Project’s Closing Argument newsletter, a weekly deep dive into a key criminal justice issue. Want this delivered to your inbox? Subscribe to future newsletters here.

Victims of police violence and their families often seek the release of body camera footage, in the hope that public outrage will lead to accountability that is otherwise elusive. This week, the mother of an 11-year-old Black boy shot by police in Mississippi made exactly that demand after a grand jury declined to press charges. “I feel disgusted, outraged and emotionally damaged,” she said at a Wednesday press conference, after viewing the footage in private.

Healthcare: Healthcare professionals, such as nurses, doctors, and heathcare workers can sometimes use BWCs to document patient care and interactions. This can help improve patient safety, communication, and provides legal protection for both the patient and staff.

The Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability is one of the few in the country with direct access to body camera footage, a power it received after outrage over the shooting death of Laquan McDonald in 2014. But that hasn’t stopped the city’s police union from trying to bargain away other avenues of public oversight. In current contract negotiations, the union is seeking a provision that would allow officers accused of misconduct to remove their cases from the docket of the public Chicago Police Board, “and instead have them decided privately by an outside third party,” the Chicago Tribune reports.

Become a member of The Marshall Project during our year-end member drive. Our journalism has tremendous power to drive change, but we can’t do it without your support.

The PROTEC range of body worn cameras offer exceptional performance at an affordable price. Protec's body worn cameras are carefully engineered to deliver exceptional performance with ease of use without breaking the bank.

Due to their DEMS encrypted storage and data management, high-quality video and audio recording capabilities, as well as their durability and ease of use. The cameras are designed to withstand harsh environments and can be used in a variety of settings, from busy city streets to remote rural areas.

Perhaps hard-to-get footage is better than none at all, though. A recent NBC News investigation found that unlike local law enforcement, federal agents don’t generally wear cameras, essentially turning shootings by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the U.S. Marshals into a black box.

Our journalism establishes facts, exposes failures and examines solutions for a criminal justice system in crisis. If you believe in what we do, become a member today.

In Florida, civilian review boards face a threat to their very existence. A state representative recently filed a bill that would make it illegal for cities to create any kind of agency for receiving, processing, or investigating “complaints of misconduct by law enforcement and corrections officers.” The bill sponsor cited the stress that investigations can put on officers. It's a move reminiscent of other efforts by state officials in Florida to restrict how their local counterparts handle the justice system.

Police oversight agencies, such as civilian complaint review boards, benefit from the footage — when they can get a hold of it. As we covered in a prior edition of Closing Argument, these kinds of organizations are popular (many of the nation’s large cities have one), but they have dramatically different amounts of power from place to place. It’s common for their power to expand or contract as political dynamics shift in a given city or state, especially through protracted battles with police unions.

Retail Workers: Body worn cameras are now a popular piece of equipment for retail stores in the UK. Data released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) paints a grim picture of the escalating violence and abuse faced by retail workers. According to the report, there has been a significant increase in both verbal and physical assaults on retail staff. The BRC's findings reveal that: An alarming 445 verbal or physical assaults occur towards retail staff every day. 83% of all retail workers have experienced verbal abuse at work. Physical assaults have increased by 16% in the past year, with one in every 15 victims requiring medical attention.

Jamiles Lartey Twitter Email is a New Orleans-based staff writer for The Marshall Project. Previously, he worked as a reporter for the Guardian covering issues of criminal justice, race and policing. Jamiles was a member of the team behind the award-winning online database “The Counted,” tracking police violence in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, he was named “Michael J. Feeney Emerging Journalist of the Year” by the National Association of Black Journalists.

Police: Police Officers widely use body worn cameras to record interactions with the public. They provide transparency and accountability in policing, helping to prevent misconduct and ensure fair treatment.

Their review of 79 police killings captured by body camera footage in June 2022 found that footage has only been made public in 42% of cases.

There's almost an unlimited amount of options online when looking at body cameras, now that you understand safe use practices surrounding body cameras, let's explore some key features to consider when selecting a body worn video camera:

In New York the civilian review board must navigate a maze of bureaucracy to obtain body camera footage, and now faces a new stumbling block. The board announced this week that it was suspending several categories of investigation into police misconduct due to budget cuts demanded by Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer.

In New Jersey, by contrast, lawmakers advanced a bill this week that would give civilian complaint review boards the power to subpoena witnesses — an authority that these boards and their supporters often covet. A proposed amendment would only apply the power to four of the state’s largest departments as a pilot program for five years, making the bill bittersweet for advocates of more oversight. “Examples of police misconduct and brutality exist in literally every corner of New Jersey,” said Joe Johnson of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, according to the New Jersey Monitor. “So civilian oversight is important everywhere.”

Have we missed something? Would you like to discuss your needs with us? Contact Police Supplies and speak to our knowledgeable and experienced team. Whether you require your body camera for work or personal use, we can assist you in making the correct decision when choosing the correct body worn camera for you.

Another limitation of body camera footage is that it relies on subjective interpretation. When TheGrio news network recently sent footage of the same police use-of-force incidents to 10 experts, interpretations of what they saw and heard varied dramatically, even on basic matters including whether or not the subject complied with officer demands.

Once body camera footage is released, it can be instrumental in countering false police accounts that likely would have been accepted as true. Take the case of Ronald Greene, who was killed by state police outside of Monroe, Louisiana, in 2019. Officers reported he had died in a car crash. But body camera footage revealed that they’d beaten, tased, and mocked Greene and then left him handcuffed and shackled face down while waiting for an ambulance. Three of the officers involved are facing criminal charges, and the agency is under federal investigation.

Local government: Local government employees, such as parking enforcement officers and building inspectors, use body worn cameras s to record interactions with community citizens and document infractions. This can enhance transparency, accountability and public trust.

A recent investigation by ProPublica and The New York Times, however, found that the promise of body cameras has been undermined by policies around the release of footage. “Departments across the country have routinely delayed releasing footage, released only partial or redacted video or refused to release it at all,” write Eric Umansky and Umar Farooq. “They have frequently failed to discipline or fire officers when body cameras document abuse and have kept footage from the agencies charged with investigating police misconduct.”

Body cameras are a valuable tool for promoting safety, fostering trust, and capturing crucial moments across various professions. By understanding safe use practices and considering the features that best suit your needs, you can choose a body camera that empowers you to do your job effectively.

We offer a wide range of body cameras and accessories to suit your specific needs. Here are some of our featured products:

Body cameras also known as Body-worn cameras (bwc’s) have become a powerful tool for enhancing safety and accountability in a variety of professions. From law enforcement officers to social workers and the general public these versatile devices are capturing critical moments enhancing accountability across the board and fostering trust. But with so many options available, choosing the right body camera and using it responsibly can be harder that you would imagine. This guide will hopefully equip you with the knowledge to successfully navigate both!

Security: Security guards and private investigators use body worn cameras to monitor and protect people and property. They provide evidence in case of incidents and provide a strong deterrent against crime.

Over the past decade, the adoption of body-worn cameras has been one of the most popular and durable police reforms in the U.S.

JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.

Compared to premium brands, Protec cameras offer similar capabilities at a fraction of the cost. This makes them an accessible option for organisations and individuals with limited budgets. The Protec X4K1 1512p 32GB Body Worn Camera and Protec X6B 1440P 32GB Body Camera with GPS + WiFi have both become the popular models of choice for many due to the appealing price, high specification and accessories available to accompany the devices. Protec empowers security professionals and police forces to enhance transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency

You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at [email protected].

There is no easy answer to the “best body camera” brand but the more expensive models used by the police tend to have higher prestige attached to them. One such brand widely used is Pinnacle Response, their range of Body Worn Cameras are currently used in over 30 countries around the world by thousands of professionals. This includes UK and European Police, local authorities, and professional security within many respected organisations and businesses.

Police Supplies will use the information you provide on this form to periodically get in touch with you and to provide information about our newest products and latest offers. Please let us know all the ways you would like to hear from us:

The technology has enjoyed broad support from both the general public and from police. After a slew of high-profile shootings seared public consciousness through the lens of bystander video, the wisdom of recording all police interactions with the public has been hard to argue against.

In addition to choosing the right camera with suitable features, there are some crucial considerations for professionals and organizations deploying body cameras: