[jyl]

My reading - the devices seem to be pretty good. Not too bulky, batteries last 8+ hours. There will surely be disputes over when the camera is turned on and how the video may be used.

Some police unions are worried about the officer's privacy - will the camera record him going to the toilet, or *****ing about his boss? Some civil rights advocates are worried about citizens' privacy - will victims be video'd, or people just having normal interactions with officers? Some are worried that cameras will discourage people from giving police "tips" or asking for help, or that body cam video of celebrities will be exploited, or that rich jerks will subpeona body cam footage to fight their traffic ticket.

All that seems fairly minor to me. A chest mounted camera doesn't record the wearer's peeing. Who really thinks they have any privacy when speaking to a police officer? The camera units could be made even more discreet.

I can perhaps see controls and rules that make the video accessible only by a prosecuting attorney or a police oversight commission and admissible only in cases of use-of-force or violent crime.