Benefit or burden? The impact of body-worn cameras on police officers' operational efficiency

Body-worn cameras (BWCs) have gained widespread adoption in law enforcement worldwide, starting with their first known use in the United Kingdom between 2005 and 2006 (Boivin & Gendron, 2022). These devices aim to document interactions between law enforcement personnel and the public while on duty, offering benefits such as improving police accountability and safeguarding officers from false accusations of misconduct. However, the impact of BWCs on police officers' daily operations remains underexplored. While BWCs are seen as a way to improve evidence collection and transparency, their potential to either enhance operational efficiency or add bureaucratic and technological challenges remains unclear.