By Police1 Staff
NEW YORK — A new study that polled Americans on their attitudes toward body cameras and policing found over half of Americans think the technology would help ease tensions surrounding law enforcement and their communities.
The 2015 Policing Perspectives Report, commissioned by Reveal and conducted by research firm YouGov, also found that 61 percent of respondents were unsure whether their local departments had implemented the devices.
According to the report, there is some confusion among the public about the technology. About 16 percent of Americans incorrectly believe the cameras are supposed to record an officer’s entire shift and cannot be turned off. 17 percent incorrectly believe agencies across all U.S. cities are already using the cameras.
Another result of the study showed 10 percent of Americans would believe a suspect over an officer if the suspect claimed to have been assaulted by the officer.
The Department of Justice recently awarded over $23 million in grants to police agencies across the country to purchase the technology. Recent high-profile officer-involved shootings resulted in a widespread push by the public for departments to implement the cameras.