With the rapid expansion of body-worn camera (BWC) deployments over the last ten years, training programs have a powerful and frequently unutilized asset at their disposal. Here we explore the benefits associated with incorporating BWC videos into law enforcement training.

Igniting Performance

Latent BWC video stores represent an untapped goldmine of real-world first-person perspective scenarios that can be utilized for entry-level and in-service law enforcement training purposes. Through critical analysis of these events, officers can review and discuss the decisions, actions, and outcomes of actual interactions their fellow officers had with the public. This critical review process can enhance situational awareness, communication skills, decision-making abilities, flexibility, and resilience, all of which contribute to greater proficiency at de-escalating critical incidents. As officers become more adept at handling complex situations, the overall effectiveness of law enforcement operations improves, ensuring a safer community for all.

Boosting morale

Training programs that include BWC video allow trainers to engage in individualized coaching and recognize instances of exemplary performance. This feedback loop fosters a culture of continuous learning and professional growth, thereby boosting morale and well-being. When officers feel supported and valued by their agency, they exhibit higher job satisfaction, leading to increased productivity and retention rates. Moreover, by committing to professional development, agencies gain an advantage in recruiting top talent.

Mitigating Risk

Training programs that incorporate BWC video analysis help mitigate risk and liability by identifying areas for improvement in low-frequency high-risk situations. This analysis can also include adherence to protocols, ensuring officers are utilizing best practices and avoiding situations that may lead to lawsuits or allegations of misconduct.

Increased Legitimacy

By incorporating BWC video into training, agencies demonstrate a commitment to transparency and accountability to the communities they serve. When the public knows that their officers are professionally trained and held to a high standard, trust and legitimacy deepens which fosters stronger partnerships and safer neighborhoods.

Conclusion

While there are valid challenges and considerations to address, the full integration of BWC video into law enforcement training holds tremendous potential for expanding the overall frequency and quality of training. It can also enhance performance and morale, improve recruitment and retention, mitigate risk, and bolster a law enforcement agency's legitimacy through transparency and accountability.

TRULEO is a CJIS-compliant SaaS solution that analyzes and automatically categorizes all of your BWC video enabling leaders, trainers, and public information officers to highlight positive interactions and promote exemplary performance. Our mission is to improve trust in law enforcement by leveraging state of the art BWC analytics technology to streamline supervision, mitigate risk, facilitate individualized coaching, increase morale, ignite performance, enhance legitimacy, and celebrate police professionalism.

About the Author

Greg Sheehan is the Director of Training at TRULEO.

He retired from law enforcement as an Inspector of Police after twenty-seven years with the New York City Police Department, having served in multiple capacities including Program Director of the Police Academy. He is a graduate of the Police Management Institute at Columbia Business School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he was the Richard L. Gelb scholar in public administration. His interests include public safety training and body-worn camera analytics, topics that have allowed him to identify and deploy scalable solutions to today’s toughest law enforcement recruitment, training, and retention problems. For questions or comments contact him at greg@truleo.co.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-sheehan/