The Influence of Body-Worn Camera Footage on Use-of-Force Investigations Within the New York City Police Department

This research aimed to examine the association between body-worn camera (BWC) footage and the substantiation of use-of-force allegations within the New York Police Department (NYPD) by analyzing data from the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) between August 2019 and December 2022. The results of the regression models indicate that BWC footage significantly increases the probability of substantiating allegations, particularly for victims from racial minority groups, suggesting that BWCs can help address racial disparities in police oversight. These findings emphasize the importance of BWCs in improving transparency, accountability, and fairness in police investigations, with particular benefits for minority victims, and call for continued efforts to enhance cooperation between the CCRB and the NYPD in the oversight process.