Anyone who has been arrested in Las Vegas can report that this is an unnerving experience, but there is good news indicating that the use of body cameras may become more prevalent not just in other cities, but for the Las Vegas police as well.
You may have noticed that an officer who stopped you recently was wearing a body camera. In various situations, knowing that there’s a camera recording what is happening, the person accused of a crime may feel more confident that the entire scenario was captured on film in case you want to reference it later.
More cities around the country are considering the use of these and similar tools in order to reflect back on evidence when officers are accused of crossing the line or even engaging in police brutality. In light of all these allegations, body-worn camera are more common overall.
A study conducted by CNA Corporation in conjunction with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the University of Las Vegas, found that officers using body worn cameras would lead to a 37% reduction in the number of use of force incidents and a 30% drop in the number of officers affected with at least one complaint against them. For those officers that were not equipped with a camera and included in the control group, use of force increased by 4%.
The Las Vegas survey also identified that body-worn cameras could simplify the complaint resolution process and therefore, drive down the costs at the Las Vegas Police Department.
This positive pilot indicated that the decision for the LVMPD to purchase body-worn cameras, because they had had numerous use of force incidents reports ending in the death of the subject and officer involved shootings, could have benefits for people who are accused of a crime and asked to stop by the police. If you or someone you know has been accused of a crime, understanding your rights is important. Contact a criminal defense lawyer to learn more.