The present study analyzed data from 39 semi-structured interviews with specialized unit officers from one mid- and one small-sized police department in the United States. The data indicates that specialty unit officers perceived body-worn cameras in terms of the costs and consequences of the technology, which aligns with the diffusion of innovations paradigm. These officers had differential views of the costs of BWCs and the capabilities and uses of BWCs compared to patrol officers. These findings urge further investigation into the costs and consequences of body-worn cameras on specialty units, as well as an exploration into the impact of the technology’s technical capabilities. If there are key differences between specialty units and patrol officers in perceptions of the cameras, policy regarding the technology may be best if it can address these differences in order to maximize the benefits of the technology.

本研究分析了来自美国一个中小型警察部门的 39 次半结构化访谈数据。数据表明，特种部队军官根据技术的成本和后果来感知随身摄像机，这与创新范式的传播相一致。与巡逻人员相比，这些官员对 BWC 的成本以及 BWC 的能力和用途有不同的看法。这些发现促使进一步调查随身携带相机在专业单位上的成本和后果，并探索该技术的技术能力的影响。如果特种部队和巡逻人员对摄像机的看法存在重大差异，