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Bodycams: essential for good law enforcement, or a privacy risk?

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I am a member of the Swiss Abroad editorial team, where I translate and help distribute our content. With a backgound in international relations and communications, I now work for SWI swissinfo.ch translating and supporting the Swiss Abroad editorial team.

From September, Swiss Federal Railways transport police will be equipped with body cameras, also known as bodycams, to help de-escalate conflicts and increase accountability.

Did you ever come across bodycams in your place of residence? How do you think the use of bodycams alter the relationship between the public and (transport) police? How should bodycam footage be handled to ensure transparency and accountability, while also protecting the privacy rights of individuals?

Share your insights and experiences with us!

Join the conversation!

Contributions must adhere to our guidelines. If you have questions or wish to suggest other ideas for debates, please, get in touch!
JustTheFacts
JustTheFacts

Not essential for good law enforcement, but essential for evidence in a court of law.

Sergiolarochevasconcellos
Sergiolarochevasconcellos
The following contribution has been automatically translated from PT.

The camera's primary purpose is to protect the police officer or law enforcement official. It serves to protect them from any procedural doubts or misunderstandings.
There are undisciplined police officers who sometimes don't follow protocol or the tension of the moment breaks the routine. Offenders don't want cameras and good people are grateful. Congratulations on the topic.

A câmera tem a utilidade primária de proteger o policial ou oficial da lei. Serve para protege-lo de qualquer dúvida processual ou equívoco.
Há policiais indisciplinados e que, as vezes, não seguem o protocolo ou a tensão do momento, quebra a rotina. Infratores não desejam câmeras e as pessoas de bem, agradecem. Parabéns pelo tema.

Anonymous
Anonymous
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

Bodycams would have to be authorised by both sides. That would be a requirement of fairness

Bodycams müssten von beiden Seiten zugelassen sein. Das wäre ein Gebot von Fairness

BenB
BenB

1. What does the test data show after being used for 2 years? (For example). KPIs: Reduce work, improve safety,…etc

2. There are many ways in protecting privacy today from ethical and sustainable processes to blockchain technology

3. Does majority of the officers want to use it? And why?

Manuel Mecha
Manuel Mecha
The following contribution has been automatically translated from PT.

Of course they should.
Fear not.
In the end, it's for everyone's safety.

Claro que devem usar.
Quem não deve não teme.
No fubdo, é pela segurança de todos.

policeofficer00200
policeofficer00200

As a retired police officer, I believe in body cameras, it shows the real story.

Anonymous
Anonymous
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@policeofficer00200

Bodycams and cameras for both sides, everything else is not correct

Bodycams und Kameras für beide Seiten, alles Andere ist nicht korrekt

Luiz Bonfant Cohen
Luiz Bonfant Cohen
The following contribution has been automatically translated from PT.

Yes, I'm in favour

Sim, sou a favor

kkckkc
kkckkc

So the reason for bodycams is because there is a drop in trust and/or increase in violence. It is essential that police forces are an active part of the community. In effect they are paid by citizens to protect, but not over-reach. I think allowing bodycams lowers the vital trust factor even more. We shouldn't allow it.

Anonymous
Anonymous
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@kkckkc

almost completely agree

fast ganz Einverstanden

Anonymous
Anonymous
@kkckkc

Bodycams have been proven to increase "respect" for the authorities and increased neutrality.
It has nothing to do with TRUST.

Anonymous
Anonymous

From a U.S. perspective, bodycams have been instrumental in uncovering police misconduct and ensuring that officers are held to the higher standard expected of them, given their vital role in enforcing the law.

Police officers are human and can make mistakes, bodycams provide an objective record that helps differentiate between honest errors and intentional misconduct. This transparency not only protects the public but also shields officers from false accusations, reinforcing trust in the justice system.

In the U.S., where the relationship between law enforcement and communities is tense, bodycams serve as a crucial tool for building trust by ensuring that all actions taken by law enforcement are justifiable and within legal bounds. They help maintain the integrity of those who are tasked with upholding the law and ensure that justice is applied fairly and consistently. Bodycams help promote accountability and fairness.

Anonymous
Anonymous
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Anonymous

Police officers are only human and can make mistakes. Sorry, but police officers are paid by the citizens and have a clearly defined remit, which they must never, ever exceed, otherwise they are working in the wrong place. Nothing about being able to make mistakes. ...Besides, justice is not fair. I know two judges in Zurich who left their jobs because they no longer wanted to and could no longer make unjust legal decisions. The law is determined and interpreted by those in power. Justice is what normal, decent and solid people feel. I am more on the "justice side". The same could be said of the laws you praise so highly! As the saying goes, you let the little ones hang, you let the big ones go.

Polizeibeamte sind auch nur Menschen und können Fehler machen. Sorry, aber Polizisten werden von den Bürgern bezahlt und haben ein klar bestimmten Auftrag, den dürfen sie nie und nimmer überschreiten, sonst arbeiten sie am falschen Ort. Nichts, von Fehler machen können. ...Zudem, Recht ist nicht gerecht. Ich kenne ich Zürich 2 Richter, die ihren Richterjob verlassen haben, weil sie keine ungerechten Rechts-Entscheide mehr fällen wollten und konnten. Das Recht wird von den Mächtigen bestimmt und ausgelegt. Gerechtigkeit ist das was normale, anständige und solide Menschen empfinden. Ich bin eher auf der "Gerechtigkeits-Seite". Das gleich könnte man von den von Ihnen so hochgelobten Gesetzen sagen!! Wie sagt der Volkmund, die Kleinen lässt man hängen, die Grossen lässt man laufen.

Gaz11
Gaz11

One tiny flaw, the good guys are made wholly accountable whereas the bad guys are only ever made accountable by the good guys, the balance is a tad skewed, such is life...

henaresyr
henaresyr
@Gaz11

Except that the reason body cameras exist is *because* the "good guys" were not accountable.

LynxVegas
LynxVegas

Everyone should wear body cams in public. Saves people needing to film everything on their phones. Imagine how human behaviour would change (for the better?) if you know everything you say and do is being recorded when you are in a public area. Obviously places like bedrooms and bathrooms would be excluded, but some people would record that too.

Anonymous
Anonymous
@LynxVegas

Same like in Texas where people are known to carry firearms (open carry or concealed).
There is less crime on the streets because of that.
In New York, crime is high because criminals do not follow the "no guns" law.

So yes, I agree with your suggestion.

Anonymous
Anonymous
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

they are useful for everything.

sie sind nützlich für alles.

Elmof
Elmof

Absolutely necessary, or else how can one prove the negative insident, I have been a victim and the inability to proove the source was only through a footage. If privacy was imperative, still the footage can be kept for evidence only, all people or most like to use the term privacy, when everyone is so dam curious of another person's lives, where as they want to keep it private, while being on social media and attending social events. The bottom line is body cams play one if the biggest roles in cracking evidence in crime..

Anonymous
Anonymous
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Elmof

Perhaps it could also be good if the money spent on the thousands of body cams
would be used for prevention. I believe that people are basically good social beings. But there are always "reasons" why some people stumble in life, and they should be helped rather than tracked with body cams. A life without risk would be a boring life for me because I am always challenged. Where I live there are poisonous snakes and other animals in large numbers, what use is a body cam to me? The highest for the determination of the anti-poison. Where I live, most crimes happen between 02 - 5.00 in the morning. If you know the risk, do you have to be out and about at that time? I suggest we all behave in such a way that crime no longer sees any reason in their actions, and we as individuals do everything we can not to come into contact with crime. It's not perfect, but it's a step in the right direction. More and more armament cannot be the solution. Otherwise there will soon be civil war.

Vielleicht könnte es auch gut sein, dass das Geld das für die tausenden von Body-Cams
ausgegeben wird, zur Prävention verwendet würde. Ich glaube, das die Menschen grundsätzlich gute soziale Wesen sind. Ab es gibt immer "Gründe" warum einige im Leben stolpern, und denen sollte man eher Helfen als sie mit Body - Cams zu verfolgen. Ein Leben ohne Risiko wäre für mich ein langweiliges Leben, weil ich immer herausgefordert werde. Da wo ich lebe gibt es giftige Schlangen und andere Tiere in grosser Zahl, was nützt mir da eine Body-Cam? Höchstes für die Bestimmung des Anti-Giftes. Da wo ich lebe geschehen die meisten Verbrechen zwischen 02 - 5.00 am Morgen. Muss man, wenn man das Risiko kennt um diese Zeit unterwegs sein? Ich schlage vor, wir benehmen uns alle so, dass die Verbrechen keinen Grund mehr sehen in ihren Taten, und wir als Individuen alles tun, nicht mit Verbrechen in Kontakt zu kommen. Ist nicht perfekt, aber geht in die richtige Richtung. Immer mehr Aufrüstsen kann nicht die Lösung sein. Sonst gibts bald Bürgerkrieg.

Anonymous
Anonymous
@Anonymous

We are talking about BODY CAMS and not street cameras.
People are NOT basically good social beings. That's why we have LAWS.

If majority of people are good social beings, we will have our doors unlocked, our car keys inside the car and our money and wallets lying openly on tables in public restaurants.

I applaud your innocence but amazed at your naivety.

Heidi.62
Heidi.62
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

I think this is the right thing to do ...
Also for the safety of the railway police.
It can also be used as evidence, which is already the case in the USA ...
Accordingly, the Swiss police should also be equipped with it.
Also for their safety .
With kind regards
Martina Zeller

Ich finde dies für richtig ...
Auch schon zur Sicherheit der Bahnpolizei.
Auch ist ist es als Beweismittel zu verwenden, was in den USA bereits herangezogen wird ...
Demnach müsste die Schweizer Polizei auch damit ausgerüstet werden.
Auch zu deren Sicherheit .
Mit freundlichen Grüssen
Martina Zeller

Anonymous
Anonymous

Thank you for discussing "current" topics.

1. The police people must be given good training on using the body cams, especially when explaining the LAW to the people they are filming.

2. The police people must also allow the civilians the same rights to film the encounter if they feel threatened by the police

3. The police filmings must be guaranteed to be retrieveable AFTER the incident. With today's technology there is ZERO reason for the camera filming to fail.

4. The police must not misuse the cam for their selfish reasons to show 1 side of the story. The video must protect both the police and the alleged criminals to show both sides.

5. The police should also promote and publish all the laws around using video to record in public spaces. This should include dashcams in Autos. What is allowed and what is not allowed.

Isabelle Bannerman
Isabelle Bannerman SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@Anonymous

Hi HAT, thank you for your comment! Have you come across bodycams before, maybe also in other countries? If so, how was that experience for you?

Anonymous
Anonymous
@Isabelle Bannerman

I have seen (on TV/ online) that UK and USA (certain states) already have the bodycam. In Asia, some countries are also trying them out.
The evidence of video can only be helpful when there is a dispute or there are different perspectives of the recorded incident.

However, in some cases in US and UK , the video footage surprisingly "disappeared" or the camera malfunctioned when the court or public ask for the video. This is almost 99.99% fraud on the part of the video film maker (usually the police) who has something to hide. With today's video and camera technology, this is not acceptable.

If the body cam is adopted by Swiss police, they must ensure the video cams are always switched on (during the incident) and the footage is saved by an independent department in the police station. This will achieve protection for the police personnel as well as provide video evidence to convict an alleged criminal.
This is a win win but abuses must be prevented.

I reiterate my question to the police and legal arm, when is it okay for the public to record the police and when not? It also provides a different video channel for the court to decide. Of course, the law must state that such videos must not be shared without permission of the police or the victims. But it is always good to have video evidence.

How else would I know whether a crime has been committed with just my word against the perpertrator?

Anonymous
Anonymous
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Anonymous

I can sympathise with your view of things. Fair behaviour for and by all.

Mit Ihrer Sicht er Dinge kann ich eiverstanden sein. Faires Verhalten für und von Allen.

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