Police officers have been using body cams for quite some time since law enforcement realised these devices could benefit their departments. However, more and more employers and business owners have started using body cams in their businesses and Industries in the recent past. This means that the use of body cameras is one of the growing trends, especially because other departments apart from the law enforcement departments realise the need to protect their customers, employees and livelihood. In this article, we have covered the uses and benefits of using different types of body cameras in the law enforcement department and other departments and organisations.
The Uses of Body Cams
- While most people have always thought that police and other law enforcement officers can only use body cams, you can still use them as a business owner. The following are the significant uses of body cameras in police departments, businesses and organisations;
- Recording audio and video
The major use of body cameras is to record video and audio of the happenings of our surroundings. Law enforcement officers wear body cams so that they can have a record of the audio and video of any activity that happens when they are in the field. This gives law enforcement authorities an accurate picture of the events from the officers’ perspective. Outside the law enforcement department, body cams record video and audio of any activity happening throughout the day. This ensures you get to know whatever happened as if you were on the scene during then day.
- Digitise faces
Body cameras can capture the faces of individuals around during an event, making it easier for police officers to identify criminals by using facial recognition software. Even in businesses, if you wear body cameras and a customer assaults you as an employee, the body cams will help the police officers identify the customer who attacked you.
- Tracking and monitoring
Another use of body cams is to track and monitor employees and police officers. When wearing the body cameras, you can use the footage they record to know what the wearers were doing every minute they were working.
There are a range of body cams available for whatever you may use it for. They offer specialised features to make their recordings efficient and very useful.
The Benefits of Using Body Cams
The following are the benefits of using body cams in police departments and other organisations;
- Reduces the rate of complaints
The use of body cams has decreased the number of complaints filed against employees and police officers. This is because the body cams provide a record of all incidents that happen when they are in the field, ensuring that their employers can review the recordings to find out whether the complaints are false allegations or not.
- Enhanced accountability
Another benefit of having body cams in police departments and other organisations like businesses is enhanced accountability. With these devices recording actual time incidents, employees and police officers don’t point fingers at each other whenever anything happens. Everyone will own up to their mistakes, mainly because they know there is evidence of any incident they were involved in.
- Provide strong evidence for investigations
In case you are investigating anything, the recordings provided by the body cams will provide adequate evidence that can be used in court. This also includes investigating a police officer or an employee in a business. The data collected and stored in the body cameras are usually essential investigation tools.
- Enhanced transparency
Body cameras have also enhanced the transparency of business and police operations. Due to transparency, police officers can build trust with their community, while business owners can build trust with their customers.