The Achilles Heel of Police Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding the Factors That Influence Variation in Body-Worn Camera Activation

Katz and Huff (2023) identified a range of variables significantly associated with BWC activation, especially characteristics of the specific incident.

“Katz and Huff (2023) identified a range of variables significantly associated with BWC activation, especially characteristics of the specific incident (e.g., dispatched call, call outcome).”

BWC activation was significantly lower in neighborhoods with larger Hispanic populations.

“except for significantly lower activation in neighborhoods with larger Hispanic populations.”

Officer self-initiated calls are less likely to result in BWC activation than community member calls-for-service.

“Both Katz and Huff (2023) and Lawrence et al. (2019)found that officer self-initiated calls are less likely to result in BWC activation than a community member call-for-service.”

The PPD policy change also drove increases in BWC activation at the officer level.

“These results indicate that this also drove increases in BWC activation at the officer-level.”

Female officers were less likely to activate their BWC in a given encounter.

“Katz and Huff (2023) also found that female officers were less likely to activate”

BWC activation is more likely in incidents involving serious or violent offenses.

“incidents involving serious or violent offenses (Boivin & Gendron, 2022;Boivin et al., 2022;Katz & Huff, 2023;Lawrence et al., 2019).”

BWC activation is more likely in incidents where force was used.

“Katz and Huff (2023) also documented a greater likelihood of activation in incidents where force was used and those that ended in arrest (see also Huff et al., 2020a).”

BWC activation is more likely in incidents that ended in arrest.

“Katz and Huff (2023) also documented a greater likelihood of activation in incidents where force was used and those that ended in arrest (see also Huff et al., 2020a).”

Officer race, education, and length of service were not associated with BWC activation decision-making in a given encounter.

“officer race, education, and length of service were not associated with activation decision-making in a given encounter.”

Officer precinct was associated with BWC activation.

“Katz and Huff (2023) reported that officer precinct was associated with activation”

A previous study found that announcing the PPD BWC activation policy change resulted in dramatic increases in activation at the incident level.

“A previous study found that announcing this policy change resulted in dramatic increases in activation at the incident level (Katz & Huff, 2023).”

Phoenix officers' activation rates increased from 40% to 73% following the implementation of a more restrictive activation policy requiring officers to activate upon receipt of a call for service.

“Phoenix officers' activation rates increased from 40% to 73% following the implementation of a more restrictive activation policy requiring officers to activate upon receipt of a call for service, as opposed to activating at the time of officer-citizen contact (Katz & Huff, 2023).”

Community-level factors such as crime rate, social disorganization, racial/ethnic makeup, and population density were non-significant or somewhat modest for BWC activation.

“community-level factors such as crime rate, social disorganization, racial/ethnic makeup, and population density were non-significant or somewhat modest”

Katz and Huff (2023) found that departmental policy and situational characteristics exhibited the strongest relationship with BWC activation, along with neighborhood context such as ethnic composition and population density.

“They found that departmental policy and situational characteristics exhibited the strongest relationship with BWC activation, along with neighborhood context such as ethnic composition and population density.”