Why Police Body Cams are Absolutely Necessary After Ferguson

On Monday, President Barack Obama proposed $263 million in additional funding to police departments as part of a plan to improve tensions between distrusting citizens and law enforcement across the U.S.

It’s arguably the single most important piece of legislation proposed by President Obama since he first entered office. Yes, even more so than health care, immigration, and student loan reform, depending on how you look at it.

The program, which will require congressional approval, would include police training programs and an allotted $75 million for 50,000 body cameras (doubling the current count) nationwide. The funds would be divided amongst local and state police departments over three years, covering up to half the cost of purchasing the devices.

This is obviously big news for a few select public tech companies manufacturing body cams and their components, but I’m actually not going to talk about those companies today.

We usually stick to business and don’t get too political on this blog, but today, I just can’t help myself…

A Nation Divided

Left-wing liberals widely applauded Obama’s recent announcement, claiming that if Darren Wilson had been wearing a body cam, we’d have the evidence that he was a racist, murdering bigot.

Right-wing conservatives praised the announcement as well, saying that if Darren Wilson had been wearing a body cam, we’d have the evidence that Michael Brown was a no-good, police-assaulting thug.

Non-partisans held a similar but far more sensible stance, pointing out that if Darren Wilson had been wearing a body cam, we’d actually know what happened.

“The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.” — Socrates

Those of us who admit we don’t know what happened between Darren Wilson and Michael Brown back in August are certainly in the minority, but the fact is we’re the only ones looking at the situation with any kind of sense.

If you happen to have strong beliefs about what happened in Ferguson and that offends you, I apologize. But arguing about what happened is like two blind men debating over the color of a rock. You weren’t there, and you didn’t see it go down — it’s really as simple as that.

To be quite frank, I find the reaction of the American public surrounding the events in Ferguson incredibly shameful and embarrassing, to say the least. I’d love to think of my fellow countrymen as well-educated, objective, and sensible citizens, but it’s become more than apparent in recent weeks how easily manipulated and gullible so many Americans are.

Since when did we stop thinking critically? Since when did we stop thinking for ourselves? It must have been a long, long time ago.

Credit: The Associated Press

It greatly saddens me how easily so many Americans have jumped to conclusions (one way or the other) without taking a step back to really think about what they do and do not know.

It saddens me even more to see that Americans are willing to fight with each other over clear unknowns, with levels of conviction that could only be justified if you had a front-row seat to the shooting.

Family members and friends across the U.S. have been virtually divided and, in many cases, have even lashed out at each other with personal, ad hominem attacks.

“Go be a pretentious f*cktard somewhere else.”

“Don’t you realize this man punched himself in the face to make it look like he was attacked. Anyone who thinks otherwise can unfriend me right now.”

“You are an idiot; the people investigating the case who decided Wilson acted in self-defense aren’t all White. Mike Brown already got what he deserved. Case closed.”

These were just a few of the inane comments that came across various social media feeds throughout last week (I’m sure you’ve come across some examples of your own). I never thought I could feel so ashamed of my own friends, family, and fellow Americans, but I most definitely feel that way today.

The Truth is I Don’t Care About Michael Brown…

I don’t care about Darren Wilson, either — at least not to the same capacity everyone else seems to at the moment.

I’m far more concerned with the United States and the driving culture behind it. I care about how us Americans interact with each other and how we respond to sensationalized media narratives. Do we push them aside and respond with reason, or do we let emotion get the best of us?

Unfortunately, I’ve realized over the past week that we are, as a nation, far too immature and hardheaded to handle obscurity with any level of reason. If there are holes, we will fill them with assumptions — apparently that’s easier than simply admitting what we do not know.

I’ve come to the depressing conclusion that we do, in fact, need every law enforcement officer to start carrying a body camera. Otherwise, whenever a situation similar to Ferguson happens, people will run rampant in the streets of uncertainty, spouting their ignorance and unsupported beliefs to anyone who will listen.

As much as I hate the idea of recording someone’s actions for his or her entire work shift, this is what it has come to in a world where trial by media holds substantially more power than trial by jury. Far too much tension has come of this situation, and it’s all because none of us know what actually happened.

Divided evenly among all tax-filing Americans, $75 million in funding over three years amounts to less than $0.20 in change a year. I don’t know about you, but I’d gladly reach into my coin cup a few times to avoid the sheer debauchery that’s occurred in reaction to Michael Brown’s death.

I don’t support body cams on police because I think Darren Wilson is guilty.

And I don’t support body cams on police because I think Michael Brown was a thug.

I support body cams because I don’t know what happened, and I passionately wish I did.

Until next time,

Jason Stutman

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