Do body-worn cameras improve community perceptions of the police? Results from a controlled experimental evaluation

Objectives Outfitting police officers with body-worn cameras (BWCs) has been suggested to improve police-community relations. This study evaluates whether the deployment of BWCs on NYPD officers impacted resident perceptions of the police. Methods A cluster randomized controlled trial design was used to test the influence of BWCs on resident perceptions of the NYPD in treatment precincts relative to control precincts. Dual-frame randomly selected telephone surveys were used to collect pre-intervention and post-intervention resident perception data. Results We find no statistically significant differences between BWC treatment and control precincts in general perceptions of the NYPD or the average assessment of police officer behavior among those who have had recent encounters with the NYPD. Conclusion Strong community support for BWC adoption and citizen expectations for videos of controversial policing events suggests the continued use of this technology. However, BWCs should be implemented with other evidence-based programs to enhance police-community relations.