Editor,
Re: Criminologist says 'strong support' for Surrey cops to wear body cameras
Given the increased awareness of the extent of police violence, including lethal encounters, and the deep community concern expressed when police kill, it is not surprising that communities desire changes that they hope will reduce violent interactions or, at least, provide greater transparency. The recent RCMP shooting of Vanessa Renteria in Surrey has shown this.
Unfortunately, criminological research shows that police-worn body cameras cannot be counted on either to reduce police violence or to provide greater transparency. They are not the reform that some would like them to be.
Criminological research finds that, at best, the outcomes of bodycam use are contradictory. Sometimes they are paradoxical. In some jurisdictions, studies even show police violence going up after the introduction of body cameras.
For one thing, they do not show what the police actually do. They are positioned on officers and show their perspective. They can be turned off and on. There are questions about access to footage and about what happens with recorded data, including video of bystanders.
What we can be sure of is that bodycams add substantially to spending on police budgets. The City of Vancouver initially allocated $200,000 for its pilot program, but that number soon rose to $307,000, before the pilot project even got underway. In Surrey we are quite familiar with policing costs exceeding initial estimates.
The public support for bodycams is understandable. It is a desire for reform. But the use of bodycams should be assessed critically based on the large body of research evidence. The community should know what they provide and what they do not.
Dr. Jeff Shantz, department of criminology
Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey
