For years police departments have used dashboard cameras to record every move officers make in the line of duty. Even with those devices, what goes on can still be unclear —a problem for the peace officer and the person being questioned. The Los Angeles and New York City Police Departments are testing technology that will be a benefit for peace officers, as well as the citizens they are tasked with protecting and serving. They want to put cameras on cops to give a first-person view of what goes on at traffic stops, on foot patrol, and other duties cops perform.

Many people are wary of cops from the stories we see on the nightly news of cops tasing people that don’t deserve it or even beating them to near death.

A Washington, D.C., officer Clinton Turner was convicted of assault in October 2013. Prosecutors said Turner grabbed a store employee and slammed him into a display wall, then pulling the employee by the hair to the floor —ripping out chunks of hair— and putting the employee in a choke hold.

The assault was the result of an argument between the cop and the employee, where the employee had actually walked away before Turner followed.

Cases like this —where I’m sure store security camera footage was used as evidence— are open-and-shut because there are many witnesses and video support. But what if there were no video? No witnesses? It would be a lot harder to serve justice on that cop.

Or what if the tables were turned? There are also many complaints made by citizens of police brutality that are completely unfounded. Cops need the same protection. […]