While there is the potential for negative consequences to arise, the police should be required to wear body cameras.  They will provide direct video footage for all interactions between officers and the public which, for the most part, will eliminate any discrepancies between the accounts of the interaction on both the officer’s part and the part of the individual(s) involved.  In this way they will eliminate potential lawsuits of false accusations against police officers in addition to improving their accountability and curbing abuses of power (ex. the use of unwarranted or excessive violence).  A 2017 study conducted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Center for Crime and Justice Policy and Center for Naval Analyses worked in tandem with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to study the impact of body cameras on policing.  They found that those officers who were equipped with cameras had fewer complaints that the control group, none of whom had cameras and the use of force decreased as well.
In addition to cutting down on the use of force, improving accountability, and increasing transparency, it will also cut agency costs associated with misconduct investigations.
 Police officers should be required to wear body cameras for the safety of the public, as training tools for new officers who can see just how to act in difficult or dangerous situations/encounters, increased transparency, improved accountability, for a check on the abuse of power, a decrease in unnecessary violence, and to reduce costs associated with misconduct investigations.
