Pilot program found law enforcement personnel sporting cameras improved police behavior, lowered public complaints and bolstered public confidence in law enforcement.
By i24NEWS
Israeli Police forces announced on Sunday that on-duty officers will wear body cameras after a pilot project proved the devices improve police behavior and bolster public confidence in local law enforcement , Haaretz daily reported.
The pilot, which was carried out for a six month period between 2016 and 2017 on traffic police and on duty officers, revealed that body cameras improve officers’ interactions with the public and overall general performance, according to Haaretz.
Scene of Jerusalem terror attack: Police cameras document a more accurate timeline of events. – Photo: Israel national Police/Facebook page
The police stations which used the devices also saw a 25 percent drop in complaints from the public.
There were 138 officers who took part in the six-month trial period in major cities across Israel.
Israeli police affirmed that the cameras could bolster public confidence as a recent poll found that only 40 percent of Israelis have confidence in local law enforcement. The move could also be a way to counter public videos of incidents posted on social media.
Officers who participated in the project reported feeling that they had more control and that incidents were resolved faster due to the cameras. Police also said the cameras improved their etiquette and that they felt more confident about their performance on the job.
View original i24News publication at:
http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/society/146398-170528-israeli-police-to-wear-body-cameras
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