Home⇛International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research⇛vol. 6 no. 9 (2025)

Cameras on Duty: Exploring the Impact of Body-Worn Cameras on Law Enforcement Practices and Accountability

Mark Rovi A. Clarito | Henedina A. Lagumen

 

Abstract:

This study examined the perceptions of the PNP personnel of Cabuyao Component City Police Station and barangay officials in different baran-gays in Cabuyao City, Laguna regarding the impact of body-worn cameras on law enforcement operations, practices, and accountability. This study analyzed significant differences in their responses concerning awareness of BWCs’ role in reducing crime, enhancing police accountability, and im-proving community trust. Additionally, the study explored challenges in the use of BWCs and assessed their effectiveness in preventing police mis-use of force. This study employed descriptive quantitative research design, and the data gathered through questionnaires distributed to the police personnel and barangay officials from various barangays in Cabuyao City. Findings showed that PNP personnel and barangay officials recognized the benefits of BWCs in promoting transparency of their operations, reducing crime rates in high-crime prone areas, and strengthening community trust. Key challenges to effective implementation of BWCs include limited funding for purchasing, technical difficulties during police operations, and inadequate training in using BWCs. These results underscore the positive impact of BWCs in enhancing modern policing procedure. Addressing op-erational challenges and fostering alignment between law enforcement agencies and the public perspectives are therefore essential in achieving long-term positive impact.



References:

  1. Andrade, F., Ayon, A., Cebrero, J., Pagkali-wangan, J., Sarte, R., & Villa, E. B. (2024). Extent of implementation on the use of body worn camera in police operations: Basis for enhanced Action plan. Interna-tional Journal of Multidisciplinary Ap-plied Business and Education Research, 5(6), 2308–2315. https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.05.06.30).
  2. Ariel, B., Sutherland, A., Henstock, D., Young, J., Drover, P., Sykes, J., Megicks, S., Hen-derson, R. (2016a). Report: Increases in police use of force in the presence of body-worn cameras are driven by officer discretion: A protocol-based subgroup analysis of ten randomized experiments. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 12(3), 453-463.
  3. Ariel, B., Sutherland, A., Henstock, D., Young, J., Drover, P., Sykes, J., Megicks, S., & Henderson, R. (2016b). Wearing body cameras increases assaults against offic-ers and does not reduce police use of force: Results from a global multi-site ex-periment. European Journal of Criminol-ogy, 13(6), 744-755.
  4. Ariel, B. (2016). Increasing cooperation with the police using body worn cameras. Po-lice Quarterly, 19(3), 326–362. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098611116653723
  5. Bolledo, J. (2021). After 4 years, PNP finally deploys body-worn cameras. https://www.rappler.com/philippines/pnp-deploys-body-worn-cameras-june-2021/
  6. Chi, C. (2023). PNP again says there are not enough body cameras. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/08/20/2290078/pnp-again-says-there-are-not-enough-body-cameras
  7. Corpuz, R. R. N., Villafria, K. G., Reyes, K. A. F. C., Cunanan, L. A. C. (2023, October). Bal-ancing transparency and privacy: Percep-tions of body-worn cameras in Angeles City, Pampanga. EPRA Journals, 9(10). DOI: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra14781).
  8. Davies, A. (2022). Through an Australian lens: Exploring the impact of body-worn cam-eras on police-community relations. Po-licing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 17. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paac065).
  9. Davies, A., & Krame, G. (2023). Through an Australian lens: The influence of body-worn cameras on complaints against po-lice—beyond the numbers. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 17. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paad015
  10. De Lana, D. C., -De Lana, M. R., Dausan, A. F., & Villa, E. B. (2025). Revisiting The Com-munity and Service Oriented Policing (CSOP) System: Basis for Sustainable Peace and Order. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research, 6(1), 396-421. https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.06.01.28).
  11. Douglas S. (2021, June). The effects of body-worn cameras on violent police victimiza-tion. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 15(2), 1399–1416. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paaa032).
  12. Elliott, J. (2015) Body-worn cameras: A step toward trust and legitimacy for campus police. University Honors Theses. Paper 146. https://doi.org/10.15760/honors.141).
  13. Fisher, M. M., Madolid, J. C., Demate, E. M., Corsena, A. R., Villa, E., Mobo, F. D., & Golla, N. (2025). Assessing the effective-ness of the PNP internal disciplinary mechanism in enhancing job satisfaction among personnel. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research, 6(1), 431-452. https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.06.01.30).
  14. Gozum, I. (2023). Body cam turned off in po-lice killing of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltaz-ar. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/philippines/body-camera-turned-off-police-killing-jemboy-baltazar-navotas/
  15. Henstock, D., & Ariel, B. (2017). Testing the effects of police body-worn cameras on use of force during arrests: A randomized controlled trial in a large British police force. European Journal of Criminology, 14(6), 720-750. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370816686120).
  16. Hughes, T. W., Campbell, B. A., & Schaefer, B. P. (2020). The influence of body‐worn cameras, minority threat, and place on police activity. Journal of Community Psychology, 48(1), 68–85. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22299).
  17. Jennings, W.G., Lynch, M. D., & Fridell, L. A. (2017). Evaluating the impact of police officer body-worn cameras (BWCs) on response-to-resistance and serious exter-nal complaints: Evidence from the Orlan-do police department (OPD) experience utilizing a randomized controlled exper-iment. Journal of Criminal Justice, 43(6), 480-486.
  18. Johnson, B. (2019). Do criminal laws deter crime? Deterrence theory in criminal jus-tice policy: A Primer. Minnesota House Research Department. https://www.house.mn.gov/hrd/pubs/deterrence.pdf
  19. Koen, M. C., Willis, J. J., & Mastrofski, S. D. (2018). The effects of body-worn camer-as on police organization and practice: A theory-based analysis. Policing and Socie-ty, 28(9), 1038–1053.
  20. Koslicki, W. M. (2019). Accountability or effi-ciency? Body-worn cameras as replica-tive technology. Criminal Justice Review, 44(3), 356-368. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734016819856079).
  21. Lum, C., Koper, C. S., Merola, L., Scherer, A., & Rieoux, A. (2015). Existing and ongoing body worn camera research: Knowledge gaps and opportunities. Report for the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. Cen-ter for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, George Mason University.
  22. Lum, C., Stoltz, M., Koper, C. S., & Scherer, J. A. (2019). Research on body‐worn cameras. Criminology & Public Policy, 18(1), 93–118. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12412).
  23. Lum, C., Stoltz, M., Koper, C. S., & Scherer, J. A. (2020a). Research on body-worn camer-as: What we know, what we need to know. Criminology & Public Policy, 18(1), 93–119. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12412).
  24. Mercado, H. A. (2024). Through the lens of ac-countability: Body-worn cameras in po-lice operations at Pampanga Police Pro-vincial Office. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research, 5(9), 3574-3582. https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.05.09.16).
  25. Miranda, D. (2021). Body-worn cameras ‘on the move’: Exploring the contextual, technical and ethical challenges in polic-ing practice. Policing and Society, 32(1), 18–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2021.1879074).
  26. Morey, T. (2019). Current issues: Body camer-as. Pressbooks. https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/ccj230/chapter/5-13-body-cameras/NationalPolice
  27. Nepomuceno, P. (2021). Use of body cams, recording devices in police ops now mandatory. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149175
  28. Park, J., & Pang, M. (2019). Information tech-nology on the beat: The impacts of body-worn camera and facial recognition tech-nology on public safety. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3426427).
  29. Paternoster, R. (2019). How much do we real-ly know about criminal deterrence? In Routledge eBooks (pp. 57–115). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315258089-2).
  30. Petersen, K. (2022) Looking at the big picture: Using systems theory to understand the impact of body-worn cameras on police accountability. Critical Criminology, 30, 861–878. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10612-022-09613-4).
  31. Poirier, B., Charbonneau, É., & Boivin, R. (2023). Divergence and convergence on police transparency: Comparing officers’ and citizens’ preferences on Body-Worn camera footage release. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice/La Revue Canadienne De Criminologie Et De Justice Pénale, 65(3), 68 91. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjccj-2023-0008).
  32. Smykla, J. O., Crow, M. S., Crichlow, V. J., & Snyder, J. A. (2015). Police Body-Worn Cameras: Perceptions of Law Enforce-ment leadership. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 41(3), 424443. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-015-9316-4).
  33. Sousa, W. H., Coldren, J. R., Rodriguez, D., & Braga, A. A. (2016). Research on body worn cameras: Meeting the challenges of police operations, program implementa-tion, and randomized controlled trial de-signs. Police Quarterly, 19(3), 363-384.
  34. Tafaleng-Ullalim, P. A. (2024). The use of al-ternative recording devices during police operations in Bontoc, Mountain Province. OALib, 11(06), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1111669).
  35. Tregle, B., Nix, J., & Pickett, J. T. (2020). Body-Worn Cameras and Transparency: Exper-imental Evidence of Inconsistency in
  36. Police Executive Decision-Making. Justice Quarterly, 39(3), 455–477. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2020.1821086).
  37. Valdez, C. B. (2024). A systematic review of leadership and governance: Evaluating barangay officials' performance in Sablan Municipality. https://www.mijrd.com/papers/systematic-review-leadership-governance-evaluating-barangay-officials-performance-sablan-municipality
  38. Weisburd, D., Petersen, K., Telep, C. W., & Fay, S. A. (2024). Can increasing preventive patrol in large geographic areas reduce crime? A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Criminology & Public Policy, 23(3), 721–743. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12665).
  39. White, M. D., & Malm, A. (2020). Cops, camer-as, and crisis: The potential and the perils of police body-worn cameras. NYU Press.
  40. Williams, M., Weil, N., Rasich, E., Ludwig, J., Chang, H., & Egrari, S. (2021). Body-worn cameras in policing: Benefits and costs. https://doi.org/10.3386/w28622).
  41. Wright, J. E., & Headley, A. M. (2020). Can technology work for policing? Citizen perceptions of police-body worn camer-as. The American Review of Public Ad-ministration, 51(1), 17-27. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020945632).
  42. Wright, J. E., & Houston, B. (2021). Accounta-bility at its finest: Law enforcement agen-cies and body-worn cameras. Public Per-formance & Management Review, 44(4), 735–757. https://doi.org/10.1080/15309576.2021.1916545).

Tools


Copyright © 2025  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic