Attitudes of Police Chiefs towards Reciprocity of Surveillance (Sousveillance, Citizen Journalism and Police Cameras)

Abstract

In the digitised world of the 21st century, ‘surveillance society’ has made the hitherto sharply drawn lines between observer and observed increasingly blurred. Modern technologies have expanded the possibilities for digital data collection and picture taking. Since the 1990’s new information technology, options have become available to a wider audience as recording devices have become cheaper, more efficient, and easier to use by the year. The use of video-sharing sites has also become commonplace. These factors have significantly increased the number of pictures taken and newsworthy recordings, as well as their importance. As the case of George Floyd and Kyle Rittenhouse demonstrates, bystanders recording police actions and the widespread sharing of such recordings  (citizen journalism) can even play a significant role in shaping public opinion. This paper presents the professional and private views expressed by interviewees on various issues relating to image taking, surveillance, and content sharing, with a special focus on the attitudes of police chiefs towards body-worn cameras and in-car cameras, based on semi-structured interviews.