Honestly, the right answer at this point in technology is just to let the bodycam be the police report.
We used to need police reports so there was a solid written record of what (supposedly) happened. It was a pain in the ass writing them, but it had to happen. But now, what’s the point? Surely, the answer is to let cops write a three-sentence report about the broadest possible strokes of who was involved and what was the final outcome, and then “* see bodycam” for the details. Then, if it comes to some sort of proceeding where people have to dig into the nitty gritty details of what happened, they just pull the video, and see for themselves.
You can embellish facts in a written report to make it sound like the police acted professionally at all times. Bodycam footage tells its own story so they don’t want to release it if they can avoid it.
Body cams are important but have limits. If the officer doesn’t need to write a detailed report how will things that happen outside their FOV be documented? Audio will only give so much of the story.
I’m many reports you might be right. But when a case goes to court, and they do all the time, if there report wasn’t flushed out it may end up being tossed.
Honestly, the right answer at this point in technology is just to let the bodycam be the police report.
We used to need police reports so there was a solid written record of what (supposedly) happened. It was a pain in the ass writing them, but it had to happen. But now, what’s the point? Surely, the answer is to let cops write a three-sentence report about the broadest possible strokes of who was involved and what was the final outcome, and then “* see bodycam” for the details. Then, if it comes to some sort of proceeding where people have to dig into the nitty gritty details of what happened, they just pull the video, and see for themselves.
Everyone wins. Right?
You can embellish facts in a written report to make it sound like the police acted professionally at all times. Bodycam footage tells its own story so they don’t want to release it if they can avoid it.
Body cams are important but have limits. If the officer doesn’t need to write a detailed report how will things that happen outside their FOV be documented? Audio will only give so much of the story.
Yeah, true that.
On the other hand, the AI tool is presumably pulling from the exact same primary sources which may or may not show a full picture of what happened…
I’m many reports you might be right. But when a case goes to court, and they do all the time, if there report wasn’t flushed out it may end up being tossed.