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Police Unions and the Implementation of Body-Worn Cameras in a Small Island Developing State: The Case of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 October 2020

Wendell C. Wallace*
Affiliation:
The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
*
*Corresponding Author: Wendell C. Wallace, Department of Behavioural Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Room 7, Carmody Road, Saint Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Within the past two decades, body-worn cameras (BWCs) have developed as an evidentiary tool to determine the outcomes of contentious police–citizen contacts as well as a method of enhancing the accountability of both groups. While there have been numerous studies conducted on BWCs, the research has focused primarily on police officer perceptions and follow-up analyses of their usage subsequent to implementation and/or during controlled, randomized trials. However, there is a dearth of academic literature on police union members’ perceptions of BWC technology prior to implementation within their departments. This article contributes to the body of literature on BWCs by providing an analysis of data on the attitudes and perceptions towards the implementation of BWC technology into the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service that were collected from Central Committee representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association, the representative body for police officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. The findings indicate that the respondents were generally amenable to the introduction and implementation of BWCs into the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service; however, this is premised on a phased implementation preceded by a controlled trial of the BWCs, as well as the creation of internal policies prior to implementation.

Abstracto

Abstracto

En las últimas dos décadas, las cámaras de uso corporal (BWC) se han desarrollado como una herramienta probatoria para determinar los resultados de contactos polémicos entre policía y ciudadanos, así como un método para mejorar la responsabilidad de ambos grupos. Si bien se han realizado numerosos estudios sobre las BWC, la investigación se ha centrado principalmente en las percepciones de los oficiales de policía y los análisis de seguimiento de su uso después de la implementación y, o durante los ensayos controlados y aleatorios. Sin embargo, existe una escasez de literatura académica sobre las percepciones de los miembros del sindicato de policía sobre las BWC antes de la implementación dentro de sus departamentos. Este artículo contribuye al cuerpo de literatura sobre BWC al proporcionar un análisis de los datos recopilados de los representantes del Comité Central de la Asociación Social y de Bienestar del Servicio de Policía de Trinidad y Tobago (TTPSSWA), el cuerpo representativo de los oficiales de policía en Trinidad y Tobago (TTPS), con respecto a la implementación de la tecnología BWC. Los resultados indican que los participantes del estudio son generalmente susceptibles a la introducción e implementación de las BWC en la policia; sin embargo, los participantes sugirieron una implementación por etapas, precedida por un ensayo controlado de las BWC, así como la creación de políticas internas antes de la implementación. También se discuten otros hallazgos clave, recomendaciones y direcciones para futuras investigaciones.

Abstrait

Abstrait

Au cours des deux dernières décennies, les caméras portées sur le corps (BWC) se sont développées comme outil de preuve pour déterminer les résultats des contacts litigieux entre la police et les citoyens, ainsi que comme une méthode pour renforcer la responsabilité des deux groupes. Bien que de nombreuses études aient été menées sur les BWC, la recherche s’est principalement concentrée sur les perceptions des policiers et les analyses de suivi de leur utilisation après leur mise en œuvre et, ou pendant des essais contrôlés randomisés. Cependant, il y a une pénurie de littérature académique sur les perceptions des membres des syndicats de police sur les BWC avant leur mise en œuvre dans leurs services. Cet article contribue au corpus de la littérature sur les BWC en fournissant une analyse des données collectées auprès des représentants du Comité central de l’Association Sociale et de Bien-de la police de Trinité et Tobago (TTPSSWA), l’organe représentatif des policiers du Service de police de Trinité-et-Tobago (TTPS), concernant la mise en œuvre de la technologie BWC. Les résultats indiquent que les participants à l’étude sont généralement disposés à introduire et à mettre en œuvre des BWC dans le TTPS; cependant, les participants ont suggéré une mise en œuvre par étapes précédée d’un essai contrôlé des BWC, ainsi que la création de politiques internes avant la mise en œuvre. D’autres conclusions, recommandations et orientations clés pour les recherches futures sont également discutées.

抽象

抽象

在过去的二十年中,随身摄像机(BWC)已经发展成为确定有争议的警察与公民接触的结果的证据工具,以及增强两组问责制的一种方法。尽管已经对穿戴式摄像机进行了大量研究,但研究主要集中在警官的看法以及实施后和对照试验中的使用情况的后续分析。但是,关于警察工会成员在其部门内实施之前对佩戴式摄像机的看法的学术文献很少。本文通过对从特立尼达和多巴哥警察局社会和福利协会(TTPSSWA)中央委员会代表的收集数据进行分析,为身体佩戴式摄像机的文献做出了贡献。特立尼达和多巴哥警察局(TTPS),关于将便携式摄像机技术应用到警察局中。调查结果表明,这项研究的参与者一般都适合使用和实施随身摄像机;但是,参与者建议分阶段实施,然后对穿戴式摄像机进行受控试验,并在实施之前制定内部政策。还讨论了其他关键发现,建议和未来研究方向。

نبذة مختصرة

نبذة مختصرة

خلال العقدين الماضيين ، تم تطوير الكاميرات التي يرتديها الجسم (BWCs) كأداة إثبات لتحديد نتائج الاتصالات المثيرة للجدل بين الشرطة والمواطنين وكذلك طريقة لتعزيز مساءلة كلا المجموعتين. في حين تم إجراء العديد من الدراسات على الكاميرات التي يرتديها الجسم ، فقد ركز البحث في المقام الأول على تصورات ضباط الشرطة وتحليلات المتابعة لاستخدامها بعد التنفيذ ، أو أثناء التجارب العشوائية الخاضعة للرقابة. ومع ذلك ، هناك ندرة في المؤلفات الأكاديمية حول تصورات أعضاء نقابة الشرطة للكاميرات التي يرتديها الجسم قبل تنفيذها داخل إداراتهم. تساهم هذه المقالة في مجموعة المؤلفات حول الكاميرات التي يتم ارتداؤها من خلال توفير تحليل للبيانات التي تم جمعها من ممثلي جمعية الرعاية الاجتماعية التابعة لشرطة ترينيداد وتوباغو (TTPSSWA) في اللجنة المركزية ، وهي الهيئة التمثيلية لضباط الشرطة دائرة شرطة ترينيداد وتوباغو (TTPS) ، فيما يتعلق بتنفيذ تكنولوجيا الكاميرات التي يرتديها الجسم في خدمة الشرطة هناك. تشير النتائج إلى أن المشاركين في الدراسة قادرون بشكل عام على إدخال وتنفيذ الكاميرات التي يرتديها الجسم ؛ ومع ذلك ، اقترح المشاركون تنفيذًا مرحليًا يسبقه تجربة محكومة للكاميرات التي يرتديها الجسم ، بالإضافة إلى وضع سياسات داخلية قبل التنفيذ. وتناقش أيضا النتائج والتوصيات والتوصيات الرئيسية الأخرى للبحوث المستقبلية.

Type
Article
Copyright
© 2020 International Society of Criminology

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