Evaluating the Impact of Officer Worn Body Cameras in the Phoenix Police Department

By Charles M. Katz, David E. Choate, Justin Ready and Lidia Nuno

Police Department $500,000 to purchase, deploy and evaluate police body worn cameras. The design and implementation of the project included the purchase of 56 BWC systems and deploying them in the Maryvale Precinct. The implementation of the BWC’s occurred in one of the two Maryvale Precinct squad areas (aka target area). All officers assigned to the target area were issued the equipment and were provided training in its use, maintenance, and related departmental policy. This evaluation was conducted to examine the effect of implementing police worn body cameras on complaints against the police and domestic violence case processing and outcomes.

Our analysis of the camera meta-data indicated that only 13.2 to 42.2 percent of incidents were recorded by and BWV camera. Domestic violence incidents were the most likely to be recorded (47.5%), followed by violent offenses (38.7), back-up (37%), status offenses (32.9%), and subject/vehicle stops (30.9%). ..Regardless, the officer worn body cameras were found to be beneficial to the officers and the court in a number of ways. … BWC did not appear, however, to have an impact on suspect behavior as measured through resisting arrest charges.Additionally, we examined the impact of body worn cameras on domestic violence case processing. Analysis of the data indicated that following the implementation of body cameras, cases were significantly more likely to be initiated, result in charges filed, and result in a guilty plea or guilt verdict.

Phoenix, AZ: Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety, Arizona State University. 2014. 45p.