More and more “average folks” are in a position to capture and document every-day life. A new Smartphone commercial declares virtually anyone can be a “photojournalist”. That’s because nowadays more people carry phones with camera capabilities than do not. It’s only natural, then, to anticipate that law enforcement officers going about their usual business will find themselves subjects of “short films” at some time or another. It doesn’t always go so well. Unsolicited footage showing “behavior unbecoming” has led to officer suspensions and dismissals. After all, a video can be shot, uploaded to YouTube, and viewed by thousands of eyes in a matter of minutes. This type of constant, unprecedented surveillance can seem a daunting job hazard that never existed before in public safety. But wait—there’s a flip side. For all the disparaging events a citizen camera might capture, there are likely as many or more clips capturing reaffirming or even vindicating acts…behavior that, when reviewed, will give evidence to proper protocol, noble efforts and game-changing reality. At the very least, these cameras are doing away with some of well-worn he-said/she-said dilemmas.
More police and sheriffs have cameras, too. A few weeks ago I saw the movie “End of Watch”. The flick, shot “documentary style”, follows LAPD partners and friends, played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña, as they patrol the unforgiving streets of South Central LA. For plot, Gyllenhaal and Pena find themselves entangled with a dangerous Mexican drug cartel. Throughout the movie Gyllenhaal’s character records his day-to-day activities for a “project”, using a small camera that goes with him everywhere from the patrol car to briefing to his own wedding. In addition, some scenes are captured as if by dash cam—which is how we observe the dramatic ending.
From a Hollywood standpoint big screen cameras seem to get smaller and smaller (do not watch this movie if you are prone to nausea!). The shaky camerawork had a purpose, though: writer and director David Ayer wanted to show law enforcement from a law enforcement point of view—not blown up and sensationalized one way or the other. I was pretty impressed; I thought in general it was an interesting diversion from most movies of its genre. The dynamic between the two officers was particularly believable—their camaraderie was at the same time affable and tense, depending on the day and assignment.
Whether you love this movie or hate it (There was no shortage in profanity. Also, how many times have you dropped your duty belt and engaged a suspect in a fistfight—while allowing your duty partner to “roll film”?), it does supply good conversation fodder—sure about accuracy and plot (some said it was a bit “over-the-top”), but I think this movie also evidences a new awareness in regards to the now-common on-body recording systems: good press and bad press, the effect vantage point might have on a viewer’s perception of an event; its implications in court. Maybe it’s time to start work defining (or refining) department-wide policy for the use and protocol officer-worn surveillance tech.
