Police culture and officers' receptivity to body-worn cameras: a panel study
Policing: An International Journal
ISSN: 1363-951X
Article publication date: 28 October 2022
Issue publication date: 17 February 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The objectives of this research were to examine how officer perspectives on body-worn cameras (BWCs) are patterned by broader occupational attitudes, and to analyze stability and change in officers' attitudes toward BWCs before and after the deployment of the technology.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analyze panel survey data on individual officers in the Albany (New York) Police Department (APD).
Findings
Pre-BWC deployment, officers varied in their occupational attitudes and BWC perspectives, and the officers' BWC outlooks bore relationships to several occupational attitudes. BWC outlooks were largely stable following deployment. Individual changes in BWC perspectives were related to officers' assignments and unrelated to officers' occupational attitudes.
Originality/value
The authors use panel survey data to test hypotheses about the effect of broad occupational attitudes on officers' receptivity to BWCs and to analyze change pre-/post-BWC deployment.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This article is based on data from the project, Supervisory Coaching, Body Worn Cameras, and Police Performance, directed by Robert E. Worden and Sarah J. McLean. The project and the preparation of this report were supported by a grant from Arnold Ventures (formerly the Laura and John Arnold Foundation) and executed with the cooperation and active engagement of the Albany Police Department (APD). The findings, conclusions, and opinions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of Arnold Ventures or the APD.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the APD Command Staff members who served on the Research Advisory Council at different points in time, including: Chief Eric Hawkins; Deputy Chiefs Brian Hogan and Edward Donahue; Commanders James Gallagher, Anthony Battuello, Edward O'Leary, Darrell Gipson, Michael Hicks, Michael Basile, Jeff Roberts, and Eric Cotter; and former chiefs Bob Sears, Brendan Cox, and Steven Krokoff. The project working group members provided invaluable insight and guidance to the project by sharing their ideas and assisting with data collection efforts and included Lieutenant Melissa Gipson and Sergeants Marco Mancini, Devin Anderson and Daniel Johnson. From the Finn Institute, the authors thank Sarah J. McLean and Danielle Reynolds for their parts in developing the survey instrument. Finally, the authors are grateful for the funding provided by Arnold Ventures to conduct this research.
Citation
Cochran, H. and Worden, R.E. (2023), "Police culture and officers' receptivity to body-worn cameras: a panel study", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 46 No. 1, pp. 24-39. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-06-2022-0076
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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