Should all police officers wear body cameras?

In recent weeks, protests calling for police reform have swept the nation and the globe. These protests began with the killing of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. Lawmakers have responded with numerous police reforms at the state and federal level, including competing federal proposals from the house and senate.

While data and research emerges on the new reform policies, we’re covering a police reform proposal that’s been debated for the last decade: body cameras on police officers. While many police departments across the country have already adopted body cameras, there are still no consistent policies for when they are required, how videos will be released to the public, and how long footage should be stored.

Today, we will walk through the general benefits and drawbacks of requiring body cameras for on-duty police officers.