Posted on May 29, 2016
In keeping with the Law Enforcement trend, should MPs/SPs/SECFOR personnel on gates be required to wear body cams?
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CAVEAT: Understandably in a SCIF or other sensitive areas, this may would not be an option and they could be turned off or left in the patrol vehicle.
31B: Military Police
Law Enforcement
Technology
Accountability
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 17
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I'm skeptical when police officers oppose body cams. Anyone in uniform is acting as a representative of the organization they represent (ie; police are representatives of the government)... thus the courts have stated that the police have no expectation of privacy in those situations. If there is no expectation of privacy, why wouldn't we want filming of everything they're doing? Others have pointed out that this makes identifying perpetrators easier. It also prevents and makes responding to illegitimate acts "under color of law" easier.
As for MPs/SFs, I view them as no different than other police in this scenario.
Here's one for you; should Soldiers/Marines/etc on combat patrol wear bodycams? They are, again, uniformed representatives of their government who, as such, have no expectation of privacy. They are also far more likely to be involved in violence where eye-witness statements may be questionable.
As for MPs/SFs, I view them as no different than other police in this scenario.
Here's one for you; should Soldiers/Marines/etc on combat patrol wear bodycams? They are, again, uniformed representatives of their government who, as such, have no expectation of privacy. They are also far more likely to be involved in violence where eye-witness statements may be questionable.
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MSG (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) A cop once asked me if he could search my car (pulled over for a California stop). I said no thank you and he gave me the biggest BS line out there ... "Well you don't have anything to hide do you?" So that is the line I ask cops who are opposed to body cams.
The biggest issues with body cams on a combat patrol I see are cost and durability. Great for AARs but otherwise, what benefit due they bring to the warfighter?
The biggest issues with body cams on a combat patrol I see are cost and durability. Great for AARs but otherwise, what benefit due they bring to the warfighter?
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CPT (Join to see)
"You don't have anything to hide, do you?"
"I don't have anything to prove, either."
A gopro weighs less than half a lb and is pretty durable. Another generation or few of improvements should produce something off the shelf ready to roll out in the harshest environment with little or no impact.
The arguments for the presence of cameras are never to benefit the warfighter, or police officer, but for AARs/investigations/etc. There have been enough issues in enough wars, and in the current wars, that being able to clearly tell what happened with x Soldier in y location would provide a level of certainty to events lost in the fog of war.
That said, coupled with the anticipated tactical and strategic networks it would produce a stunning level of battlefield awareness to higher level leaders.
(I'm not actually making this suggestion, but devil's advocate can be fun.)
"I don't have anything to prove, either."
A gopro weighs less than half a lb and is pretty durable. Another generation or few of improvements should produce something off the shelf ready to roll out in the harshest environment with little or no impact.
The arguments for the presence of cameras are never to benefit the warfighter, or police officer, but for AARs/investigations/etc. There have been enough issues in enough wars, and in the current wars, that being able to clearly tell what happened with x Soldier in y location would provide a level of certainty to events lost in the fog of war.
That said, coupled with the anticipated tactical and strategic networks it would produce a stunning level of battlefield awareness to higher level leaders.
(I'm not actually making this suggestion, but devil's advocate can be fun.)
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1SG Joseph Yorski, MHS
MSG (Join to see) - Mike, coming from 20 years in civilian law enforcement more so than my MP experience, I'll be "that guy" and say no on the body cams. It's not so much about having "something to hide" as it is about the endless Monday morning QB'ing that takes place in LE today. And I don't mean discourtesy or other shenanigans that can occur daily in an urban environment dealing with lowlifes, I'm talking about that high stress incident where the camera is going to pick up one perspective, not the total situation. NOBODY can second guess what a police officer has to deal with in that alley at 2AM in the dark, alone after catching up with that suspect in a foot pursuit, and I'm glad I retired before these started to become popular here in CT.
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Yup. On patrol, at the gate, responding to a call (outside of a secured area), absolutely. Body-cams do a lot to protect both the security officer and the person(s) they are engaging with. There are bad actors on both sides. The body-cams will both help the sec-officers prove their case and protect them from false accusations or assumptions; while at the same time they can ensure that persons charged with an offense during an interaction with a sec-officer have a record of said offense. They have a career to protect too, and while a vast majority of sec-officers are good, upstanding people, there are some who are less so.
Body-cams just make sense. And the technology exists, is inexpensive, and readily available.
Body-cams just make sense. And the technology exists, is inexpensive, and readily available.
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To be honest i don't think there is that much of a need at the gates but if any thing there should be cameras at each gate.
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Ok why? I can understand on the civilian side, but on a military base? Is there a current need for them?
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The gates have some kind of monitoring. At least, I have seen the cameras there. I do not know about recording voice though.
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Well, last I checked, there is an army reg that Prohibits recording.
Further there is a recent study that was release that showed an increase in UOF (use of force) when law enforcement personnel are wearing body cam's Body cameras only show that officers are doing the right thing.
Further there is a recent study that was release that showed an increase in UOF (use of force) when law enforcement personnel are wearing body cam's Body cameras only show that officers are doing the right thing.
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MSG (Join to see)
MPs on the road don't operate off POIs, they only get trained from them. So send up the request to change to USAMPS and 1SG Joseph Yorski, MHS will push it through USAMPS and then he'll contact your school NCOIC to put you in for an AAM when it gets approved. Tadaaa!
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1SG Joseph Yorski, MHS
MSG (Join to see) - Lol, don't drag me into this! And I don't believe there's anything the current 31B OSUT or reclass POI regarding this topic. Of course, it's due to be updated annnny day now...
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SFC Giancarlo Rici
It's not a direct topic... I want to say it's covered in the 3881. But I'll look it up when I get a day off and site it.
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