The ruling from the field stands? Shedding light on officers’ interpretations of body-worn cameras footage

Vincent, M; Étienne, C; Brigitte, P; Rémi, B

The ruling from the field stands? Shedding light on officers’ interpretations of body-worn cameras footage

Vincent, M Étienne, C Brigitte, P Rémi, B

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Publisher:: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Policing and Society, 2025, ahead-of-print, (ahead-of-print)
Issue Date:: 2025-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Vincent, M
dc.contributor.author	Étienne, C
dc.contributor.author	Brigitte, P
dc.contributor.author	Rémi, B
dc.date.accessioned	2025-08-06T03:56:48Z
dc.date.available	2025-08-06T03:56:48Z
dc.date.issued	2025-01-01
dc.identifier.citation	Policing and Society, 2025, ahead-of-print, (ahead-of-print)
dc.identifier.issn	1043-9463
dc.identifier.issn	1477-2728
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/189137
dc.description.abstract	Despite extensive research on the expanding use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in law enforcement, the perceived evidentiary value of the resulting images remains unclear. Previous studies have shown that images do not inherently ‘speak for themselves’, emphasising the need for a deeper understanding of the information these technologies may offer to different viewers. This study examines, through semi-structured interviews and video elicitation with 43 officers from a Body-Worn Camera pilot programme in Quebec, Canada, how police officers interpret BWC footage and their beliefs about how citizens might interpret the same video. It aims to better understand how their distinctive police knowledge may shape their perceptions. The findings suggest that officers interpret situations based on their professional training and experiences, which provide them a ‘police lens’ to understand police intervention images. However, this lens is not uniform, as interpretations of certain sequences of the depicted events vary among the surveyed police officers. The findings also point to a prevailing sense of ‘naïve realism’, with some officers viewing the images as self-explanatory, while others believe that citizens would need context to fully comprehend the footage and overcome their biases. This study helps us understand how people and occupational cultures interpret BWC footage. It reminds us to be careful about using these images as solid evidence, whether in court or when shared with the public.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Policing and Society
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1080/10439463.2025.2450429
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights	“This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Policing and Society on 9 January 2025, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2025.2450429”
dc.subject	1602 Criminology, 1605 Policy and Administration, 1607 Social Work
dc.subject.classification	4407 Policy and administration
dc.subject.classification	4408 Political science
dc.title	The ruling from the field stands? Shedding light on officers’ interpretations of body-worn cameras footage
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	ahead-of-print
utslib.for	1602 Criminology
utslib.for	1605 Policy and Administration
utslib.for	1607 Social Work
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2025-08-06T03:56:47Z
pubs.issue	ahead-of-print
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	ahead-of-print
utslib.citation.issue	ahead-of-print

Abstract:

Despite extensive research on the expanding use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in law enforcement, the perceived evidentiary value of the resulting images remains unclear. Previous studies have shown that images do not inherently ‘speak for themselves’, emphasising the need for a deeper understanding of the information these technologies may offer to different viewers. This study examines, through semi-structured interviews and video elicitation with 43 officers from a Body-Worn Camera pilot programme in Quebec, Canada, how police officers interpret BWC footage and their beliefs about how citizens might interpret the same video. It aims to better understand how their distinctive police knowledge may shape their perceptions. The findings suggest that officers interpret situations based on their professional training and experiences, which provide them a ‘police lens’ to understand police intervention images. However, this lens is not uniform, as interpretations of certain sequences of the depicted events vary among the surveyed police officers. The findings also point to a prevailing sense of ‘naïve realism’, with some officers viewing the images as self-explanatory, while others believe that citizens would need context to fully comprehend the footage and overcome their biases. This study helps us understand how people and occupational cultures interpret BWC footage. It reminds us to be careful about using these images as solid evidence, whether in court or when shared with the public.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/189137