In View: Commentary from BWC Experts
In addition to providing training and technical assistance, sharing related news updates, and directing agencies to the resources provided through the BJA National BWC Toolkit, the BWC team also provides commentary from BWC experts, including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
BWC Impacts on Staffing and Workload: Voices from the Field
Chief Scot Haug (ret.)
Implementing, expanding, or updating a body-worn camera (BWC) program comes with important considerations and a number of challenges. One particular challenge is that BWCs increase workloads and, thus, staffing needs. When it comes to BWC programs, agencies frequently ask, “Are additional personnel going to be required, and, if so, how do I determine the level of increase and justify the associated expense?”
The answer to that question: “It depends.” It would be nice to have a simple computation, such as “adding X cameras will require Y additional personnel.” However, such a computation isn’t possible because of the many variables involved in BWC implementation. One of the biggest is the variety of responsibilities that will arise from the BWC program. For example, does the agency have a robust IT infrastructure that can handle the rollout of BWCs? Does the agency have staff in place to perform auditing and compliance checks associated with BWC use? Will sworn or civilian staff be responsible for those tasks? Will existing investigative units be able to handle the addition of BWC footage to reviews of use of force, performance evaluations, and criminal investigations? Finally, can the agency manage media requests for BWC footage (and any redaction that may be necessary)?