What are the limitations of BWCs?

While BWCs can be a useful tool and can provide a unique perspective on police encounters, there are limitations:

  1. Body-worn cameras cannot capture what happened outside of the camera’s view or potentially the causation for actions shown depending on the camera’s perspective and breadth of view. How the camera is mounted and the angle at which the camera is mounted all affects the perception of what is seen (officer vs. suspect perspective).
  2. Some important danger cues can’t be recorded (tensing of muscles, pulling away, etc.)
  3. The night vision component of a camera can see far better than the human eye.
  4. An officer’s body may block the view of the camera.

Show All Answers

1. Can an Officer record inside my home?
2. Will interviews with victims and witnesses be recorded?
3. Will Officers use BWCs to record casual conversations with community members?
4. Why shouldn’t all video recorded by Police be available to the public?
5. Who can I contact if I have questions about the Town and Country Police Department BWC program?
6. What are the limitations of BWCs?
7. Is your Body Worn Camera Policy publicly available?
8. Will every Officer in the Police Department have a BWC?
9. How many cameras will the Town and Country Police Department deploy when the program is complete?
10. When will the Camera be turned on?
11. Why can’t a BWC record continuously during an entire shift?
12. Where will the BWC video be stored?
13. How long is the video kept?
14. Is an Officer required to tell me when I’m being recorded?
15. What if I don’t want to be recorded?