Reforming Canadian Policing: Body-Worn Cameras and the Assumed Efficacy

Abstract

This paper will review how Body-Worn Cameras are implemented across Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The primary goals of Body-Worn Cameras have been articulated by NGOs (non-governmental organizations), government agencies, and law enforcement, which aim to reduce officer misconduct, promote fairness and equal treatment, and increase public trust in policing through enhanced accountability. This paper will focus on examining the rhetoric and the implementation of Body-Worn Cameras using the Procedural Justice Theory and the Organizational Justice Theory. In doing so, this paper provides a critical examination of current approaches to Body-Worn Cameras alongside plausible reforms that may be considered for enhanced efficacy of said initiative. Outlining areas of consideration, such as costs, ethical and privacy concerns, and the validity of assumptions of increasing public trust, accountability, and deterrence, are key points in this paper.