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Standardized Cop-Cam Built Into The Badge

Red light and vibration means it's recording.
  (+7, -1)
(+7, -1)
  [vote for,
against]

It really is time to have cameras recording police activity at all times, for the protection of everybody involved.

Cop cams are not a new idea, but I think it should be made such a part of being a cop that when you graduate the academy, you have your badge/cam pinned onto you and officially turned on as part of the ceremony.

Squeeze two switches on opposite sides of the badge to turn the camera on. A slight vibration lets the cop know it's recording and prevents him forgetting it's on when going to the bathroom or having private conversation un-related to his work. Cops have privacy rights too, but not when they're preforming their duty.

I think it would also be beneficial to the situation to have the cop walk up and make what would be a very clear gesture of turning on the badge-cam. The message would be clear: "This is all being recorded for your protection as well as mine, so let's all behave in front of the camera."

doctorremulac3, Aug 16 2014

Vibrating badge cam https://www.dropbox...n3/Police-Badge.jpg
[doctorremulac3, Aug 16 2014]

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       Knowing when the cop turned the camera on or off would end up in court. A time/date/location stamp would save a lot of work.   

       Instead of looking for the courthouse clock in the video and timing the video until he pushes open the stall door at the doughnut shop or similar methods, a date/time/location stamp would make the telling easier.   

       It would makes some kinds of lying harder.
popbottle, Aug 16 2014
  

       Hey... anything you say and do could now be used "for" you instead of being declared hearsay by prosecutors.   

       Can we have this for surgery as well?   

       //It would makes some kinds of lying harder.//   

       Absolutely.   

       Now I know they have dash cams, lapel cams, cams on glasses but I don't know why it's not standardized.   

       I think it should be something you wear proudly as an important tool to keep the peace. You get your gun and your cam. Got sort of a ying/yang vibe to it.   

       "We're giving you great power" (hands the gun to the officer) "And great responsibility" (hands them the badge cam)
doctorremulac3, Aug 16 2014
  

       Something needs to be done, it's rather apparent. +
blissmiss, Aug 16 2014
  

       //when the cop turned the camera on or off//

There's your problem right there. -
DrBob, Aug 17 2014
  

       Wonder if I should patent the vibrating part. I think the Wolfcom product with the vibrating feature to remind the cop that it's on should be standard issue. It really does look like a great product.   

       Putting myself in the cop's place, I'd have a problem wearing a camera that might be on when I didn't know it as would anybody. The vibrating feature would give a clear indication to the cop that it was recording. Having to look down to check a light means taking your eyes off the subject which is bad. Notice when cops get out of a car they never look down when they put their baton in their holster? They're trained to do it that way. Eyes on the subject at all times.   

       And forget about JUST recording, send a live feed back to the station so the interaction can be watched in real time. If a situation occurred where the officer needed backup the station could call for it immediately since they're seeing the situation unfold live.
doctorremulac3, Aug 17 2014
  

       It could be a double-edged sword, forcing officers to be active and unforgiving more or less constantly.
4and20, Aug 17 2014
  

       Why just cops? This would be good for everyone. We should all be accountable. Brother's keeper and all.
bungston, Aug 17 2014
  

       //It could be a double-edged sword, forcing officers to be active and unforgiving more or less constantly.//   

       You know, that's a good point. You can forget about talking yourself out of that speeding ticket or having the cop tell you to grind that joint into the dirt.   

       Still, if it can prevent having an angry riot every couple of years.
doctorremulac3, Aug 17 2014
  

       // You can forget about talking yourself out of that speeding ticket // I don't think that is true. I think cops are generally allowed (and encouraged) to give a little grace as appropriate. Documenting this might allow supervisors to give some feedback so that the amount of grace is more uniform from cop to cop.
scad mientist, Aug 18 2014
  

       // Why just cops?   

       Because they are public servants who have been given special powers, the abuse of which has been shown to result in immediate life-changing consequences for their employer (i.e., members of the public).
the porpoise, Aug 18 2014
  

       // You can forget about talking yourself out of that speeding ticket //   

       No one's going to review every minute of every hour of every officer's footage. In fact, I have no problem with the footage being sealed normally. But the moment there's an incident, it becomes unsealed.   

       If you insist on giving the officer the ability to turn it off, then a lack of footage of a given incident should be considered a significant factor indicating guilt on the part of the officer.
MechE, Aug 18 2014
  

       Absolutely, if you shoot somebody and your camera was off you better have a very good reason. Like there was a bullet hole in it.
doctorremulac3, Aug 18 2014
  

       They had gun-cameras in WW2 fighter aircraft. Shirley we can have a little camera on the gun which starts image collection when there's a finger on the trigger?
bs0u0155, Aug 18 2014
  

       Live feedback? Wow would this clutter the airwaves, and create its own security issues, as would recordings. Would you want a rent-a-cop to wear one of these, and broadcast the inner workings of whatever location they happen to be guarding?
RayfordSteele, Aug 18 2014
  

       Perhaps, but there's no reason I can think of that you wouldn't have a camera on the gun that starts when it's pulled out of the holster.
doctorremulac3, Aug 18 2014
  


 

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