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Debate Info

5
4
Cams shouldn't help cops. Cops can benefit from cameras.
Debate Score:9
Arguments:20
Total Votes:9
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Argument Ratio

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 Cams shouldn't help cops. (4)
 
 Cops can benefit from cameras. (4)

Debate Creator

Amarel(5669) pic



Police body cameras can threaten civil rights of black and brown people, new rep

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights has published a report claiming “Unrestricted footage review places civil rights at risk and undermines the goals of transparency and accountability". This is because "an officer’s memory of an event may be altered by watching body camera footage, doing so will likely alter what officers write in their reports".
Civil Rights organizations once demanded body cameras for all police. Now they are demanding that police not reap the benefits of having body cameras, namely that they should not be able to review what happened when writing reports. Do you agree?



http://www.newsweek.com/police-body-camera-incident-report-memory-civil-rights-minority-711584

Cams shouldn't help cops.

Side Score: 5
VS.

Cops can benefit from cameras.

Side Score: 4

It is actually a logical point. The officer does something dirty that isn't caught on video, watches the video, sees it's not captured on there, and adjusts his story accordingly. His story seemingly matches video, no proof otherwise, and he whistles as he walks away, knowing he's scott free and with an alliby.

The officer could also do things intentionally off camera knowing the camera will catch everything else and be his alliby.

A dirty clever cop could abuse the camera use.

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
Amarel(5669) Disputed
1 point

If the cop Writes a report in such a way so as to hide something and it turns out his camera never captured it, his story still stands.

On the other hand, if an officer misquotes or misses a detail due to nothing more than human error, the defense attorney use this to her advantage.

What I see happening here is that a certain camp believed police were massively corrupt and body cameras would prove this narrative. With more body cameras on the street they are finding that, rather than being a hindrance or showing corruption, body cameras are a boon to police. Not only do they absolve officers of false accusations, but they help fill in the blanks when memory fails, as it often does in stressful situations. Since body cameras are so helpful, the camp that hoped to hinder police must find another way. So they want to keep the benefit for the defense while removing the benefit from police/prosecution. They want cameras to be the anti-cop weapon they had hoped for rather than the pro-prosecution/pro-cop tool they got.

The officer could also do things intentionally off camera knowing the camera will catch everything else and be his alliby

And every time a camera malfunctions, this is what people will assume. But if enough officers are there and they all have cameras, this unlikely situation will be less likely.

Side: Cops can benefit from cameras.

The officer also might remember correctly, but question his own memory if the footage "appears" a certain way and never say what he remembered, even though he remembered right.

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
Amarel(5669) Disputed
1 point

Which is more likely; that a recording will help someone remember accurately, or that it will make them remember inaccurately?

Side: Cops can benefit from cameras.
1 point

Part of me likes cameras because it pressures the officers to do the right thing...

The other part of me thinks it might interfere with an officer's ability to cut someone slack and let them go when they technically are not supposed to.

I don't think police officers need to be micromanaged. I think that being close to an area gives them a better feel for what is truly threatening the peace than what anyone sitting in an office off the ground could have.

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
Amarel(5669) Clarified
1 point

Studies show that complaints against cops are reduced in areas where body cams are used. It is postulate that this is due not only to cops acting more professionally, but from citizens acting more courteous and knowing they can’t make false complaints.

Do you believe the body camera is an example of micromanaging?

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
TzarPepe(763) Clarified
1 point

Not in itself, but it could be.

I don't really have a problem with the cameras.

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
xMathFanx(1722) Clarified
1 point

@TzarPepe

Part of me likes cameras because it pressures the officers to do the right thing...

The other part of me thinks it might interfere with an officer's ability to cut someone slack and let them go when they technically are not supposed to.

This is a fair point that I had not cosidered

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
1 point

The benefit is all around, unless of course you are caught with undisputed evidence of doing something wrong. The body camera's help keep cops honest and those caught in the lie will or should be reprimanded.

Side: Cops can benefit from cameras.
Amarel(5669) Clarified
2 points

Do you see any issue with officers using footage as a reference when writing reports ?

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
Mint_tea(4641) Clarified
1 point

I can't think of any pressing negative issues with it. If it help them to remember to write an accurate and truthful report I think it's more beneficial.

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
1 point

Hello A:

Neither cops NOR citizens should "benefit" from body cams.. Cameras should reveal the TRUTH, and we ALL benefit from the truth..

excon

Side: Cops can benefit from cameras.
Amarel(5669) Clarified
1 point

Do you take issue with cops reviewing footage to write their reports?

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
EldonG(530) Disputed
1 point

No.

As long as the video isn't tampered with, they should be in agreement anyhow.

I want the body cams for both the citizenry and the police, as a stark recording of what happened.

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.
EldonG(530) Clarified
1 point

This thing needs to allow you to fix the side you're supporting when you make a mistake. It's infuriating.

Side: Cams shouldn't help cops.