ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8876-6164

Date of Award

Fall 2025

Language

English

Embargo Period

11-26-2025

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College/School/Department

Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

Program

Emergency Management and Homeland Security

First Advisor

Stephen Coulthart

Committee Members

Alex Greer, DeeDee Bennett Gayle

Keywords

police, public, sentiment, body-worn cameras, discretion, communication

Subject Categories

Civic and Community Engagement | Law Enforcement and Corrections | Public Policy

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory study is to examine how police officers perceive the impact of body-worn cameras (BWCs) on their use of discretion when communicating with members of the public. In this context, “discretion” refers to an officer’s authority to make independent judgments while enforcing the law; deciding whether to issue a warning, make an arrest, or resolve an incident informally when legality permits. To understand officers’ opinions, a cross-sectional, quantitative online survey was distributed to various police departments and sheriff’s offices in upstate New York. Participants completed a series of Likert-style survey items addressing their general views on policing, perceptions of the communities they serve, opinions on departmental BWC policies, and personal attitudes toward the use of BWC devices. Data from 60 sworn officers were analyzed Participants completed a series of Likert-style survey items addressing their general views on policing, perceptions of the communities they serve, opinions on departmental BWC policies, and personal attitudes toward the use of BWC devices. Results show that officers view BWCs as both protective to the self and constraining in their use of discretion. Approximately two-thirds of participants indicated that BWCs reduced their willingness to exercise discretion in uncertain situations and increased the pressure to perform, while most agreed that the devices offered protection against false complaints and contributed to a greater sense of personal safety. Overall, findings suggest that BWCs restrict discretionary action for most officers, opting toward verbal persuasive methods and other non-intrusive means of enforcement while being recorded by BWCs.

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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