The effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice: a theory-based analysis

This study applies the technical/rational model of organisations to help explain the effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice in a single police agency in the United States. Consistent with the technical/rational model, cameras had enhanced those people-processing and environ...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Koen, Marthinus C. (Author)
Contributors: Willis, James J. ; Mastrofski, Stephen D.
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2019
In: Policing and society
Year: 2019, Volume: 29, Issue: 8, Pages: 968-984
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Keywords:
Body-worn cameras
Organisational change
Police technology
Description
Summary:This study applies the technical/rational model of organisations to help explain the effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice in a single police agency in the United States. Consistent with the technical/rational model, cameras had enhanced those people-processing and environment-changing features of the police organisation which had tangible goals and well understood means for their accomplishment. In comparison, body-worn cameras were less successful in changing supervision and training, which were not well developed technically. We posit that improvements in these people-changing aspects of police work will likely require public pressure for higher levels of police professionalism, rigorous evidence on how these cameras can make training and supervision more effective, and police agencies willing to experiment with their strategic implementation.
ISSN:1477-2728
DOI:10.1080/10439463.2018.1467907