APLU Urges Campuses to Consider Use of Body-Worn Cameras
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Thursday issued a policy brief advocating for the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) for campus police departments. The report outlines the benefits, considerations and best practices for BWCs for campus leaders.
One key takeaway from the report is that research indicates BWCs help reduce the risk of police officers using excessive force on civilians. “Research consistently indicates that the benefits of BWC program come from increased transparency and accountability along with improved community relations,” the APLU wrote, citing a few studies.
While encouraging campus police departments to use BWCs, the organization thinks its more than 200 member institutions “should carefully consider a host of other factors, including costs and policies for use and storage of footage, before deciding whether to proceed,” according to an APLU prepared statement. For example, the price of video equipment can range from $120 to $2,000, but data storage is commonly cited as the largest cost factor. Aside from cost considerations, APLU recommends that institutions have clear policies in place for BWC use and that these policies should be routinely updated.
The full report can be found on the APLU site.