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‘Robocops’ in the Making: Reframing Police–Citizen Interactions Through the Lens of Body-Worn Cameras

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  • Holly Campeau
  • Laura D Keesman

Abstract

This paper examines new meanings that police–citizen interactions take on when officers make sense of them through the lens of body-worn cameras (BWCs). Drawing on 30 interviews with frontline police officers in a large Canadian city, we analyse the embodied character of BWCs to show how officers reframe their role and the subtleties of their approach in dealing with the public as more robotic. First, the participants believe BWCs curb their ability to build rapport with citizens, and therefore dehumanize interactions. Second, they report a need to operate more mechanically to follow protocol for case-building and use-of-force. Still, 100 per cent of participants remain in favour of BWC use—in an era of high visibility and pressure for accountability, video recording technology offers protection.

Suggested Citation

  • Holly Campeau & Laura D Keesman, 2024. "‘Robocops’ in the Making: Reframing Police–Citizen Interactions Through the Lens of Body-Worn Cameras," The British Journal of Criminology, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, vol. 64(3), pages 744-760.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:crimin:v:64:y:2024:i:3:p:744-760.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/bjc/azad059
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