
First scientific report shows police body-worn-cameras can reduce use-of-force - SwellJoe
http://phys.org/news/2014-12-scientific-police-body-worn-cameras-unacceptable-use-of-force.html
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Someone
I remember reading about designs for guns that video every shot fired with
them (IIRC, in relation to police violence in South-Africa) and only allow
their owner to fire it (a la Judge Dredd)

I cannot find a good link, though. Best is
[http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/disruptions-
smart-g...](http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/disruptions-smart-gun-
technology-could-prevent-massacres-like-newtown/?_r=0), which discusses Gijs
that ID the person holding the gun.

I also found [http://security-today.com/blogs/reaction/2014/10/sensor-
reco...](http://security-today.com/blogs/reaction/2014/10/sensor-records-each-
shot-fired-from-police-officers-gun.aspx?m=2), which doesn't do he videotaping
and is aimed at protecting officers, not at protecting the public.

Anybody have a better link?

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jhonovich
2 things: \- This is the same test / trial that got a lot of publicity 6
months to a 1 year ago. \- The body camera manufacturer paid for all the
cameras involved. From the full report, "We collaborated with Taser Inc. to
provide all frontline officers with their HD bodyworn-cameras."

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pluma
This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

If police body-worn-cameras had been the norm in the US, we wouldn't have the
riots (or at least not for the same reasons). Either because there would be
substantial evidence against the police officers involved in the incidents
that sparked them, or because there would be substantial evidence in their
defense.

Additionally, the problem with police cameras during protests (at least in my
experience in Germany) is that they are routinely turned off just before the
shit hits the fan.

At the least, recorded evidence of police brutality that then isn't prosecuted
would substantiate the claims of those currently accusing the police of
corruption. It's better to be outraged about factual evidence, than about wild
accusations.

~~~
icantthinkofone
Let's not blame everything on "police brutality". Anyone who is stopped by the
police is not stopped just so a cop can beat him up. In all cases, there's a
reason they were stopped and in all, the person reacted violently except in
the most rare, actual "bad cop" cases (the only ones you read about).

Before this, there was research to show that recording people at a scene, such
as protestors, and letting them know they are being recorded, also reduced
violence initiated by such groups.

It's often ignored that clashes with police are virtually always started by
people who failed to comply with the law or orders given to them.

For example, I know someone who has a business where protestors had gathered.
The police allowed this large group of a hundred, or so, to do their thing
until they blocked entrances to the businesses. The police ordered them to
stay to one side of the businesses but few complied.

After three such warnings, the group was surrounded. Some pushed back, threw
rocks and bottles at the police, spit at them, etc. Some started throwing
punches at the police as they were crowded out and that's when things went
really bad.

You can guess what happened next. People started yelling about "police
brutality" as they grabbed the rock and punch throwers and had to drag them
out of the crowd. As things got worse, they had to use tear gas and the
epithets really came flying out.

In the meantime, my poor friend, whose business barely survives, lost money on
what is normally his best day of the week.

~~~
throwaway_hhdh
Last year we had huge protests in Brazil. They were sparked by police
brutality against a tiny, routine protest in Sâo Paulo. That thing spread to
every other major city in the country.

Some state governments decided to send the police to the protests, some
didn't. Guess what: where there were no policemen, the protesters went, did
their thing, and no violence or damage to property was reported. Where there
was police, the protest always escalated, and always in the way you decribed:
the police sets some random arbitrary limit, the huge mass of uncoordinated
people do not follow their orders, police attacks.

Take from that what you will.

~~~
icantthinkofone
So you're saying that, when protestors have no police to fight, they don't
fight with the police?

