The results of a two-year University of South Florida study indicate that Tampa police officers using body cameras were less likely to engage in force than law enforcement without them.
- USF study on TPD body cam use
- Study found less use of force with officers wearing cams
- Results to be presented to city council
The department outfitted 60 officers with the cameras in early 2015 and then compared daily engagements with 60 other officers who did not wear body cameras.
The full results of the study will be reported today to the Tampa City Council.
- READ THE STUDY: TPD Body cams (.pdf)
- Previous story on TPD police cameras
- Orlando police to add body cameras over 4 years
According to the Tampa Bay Times, the study found the number of use of force incidents with body-camera wearing officers went down by 8.4 percent. Meanwhile, use of force incidents from officers not wearing cameras increased by almost 4 percent.
The study predicted that if all of Tampa's 761 police officers wore cameras, the reduction in use of force incidents would be about 250 per year.
Still, several issues remain.
There is the cost of equipping officers with the cameras and maintaining and storing video. There also is the duties of responding to requests and lawsuits to release the videos.
Tampa Chief of Police Eric Ward will talk to the council about the pros and cons of the cameras.
From there, council members will have to decide whether to outfit the entire TPD force with the cameras.
The study also suggested that the cameras are only part of community policing and that adding more officer training is key.
There is no timetable for a decision on the body cameras.