Does Agency Size Matter? Key Trends in Body-Worn Camera Policy and Practice

• NCJ Number: 254805
• Date Published: March 2020
• Author(s): Michael D. White; Michaela Flippin; Aili Malm
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2015-DE-BX-K002
• Agencies: BJA-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Survey; Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description

Annotation

This study examined whether there is variation in law enforcement agencies' policy on body-worn cameras (BWCs) based on an agency's size.

Abstract

The study focuses on 250 BWC policies of agencies that received funding from the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation (PIP) Program in fiscal years 2016, 2017 and 2018. The agencies were placed in one of four of the following categories by size: 1) extra-small (1-24 sworn officers); 2) small (25-99 officers); 3) medium (100-499 officers); and 4) large (500 or more officers). Overall, the study concludes that there is consistency in policy positions across the various agency sizes; however, there were some notable differences across policy issues. Extra-small and small agencies did not always align in BWC policies, and medium and large agencies did not always align in BWC policies. When there were notable differences on a BWC policy, extra-small agencies were usually the outlier. The report concludes that the consistency in BWC positions across agency size facilitates the identification of best practices in BWC policy.