Poll: Should a concealed carrier wear a body cam?

[Jason Brown]

Was originally thinking maybe, since it'd be situationally dependent.

Thinking further, I think no.

If you are in a scenario that is escalating, get your phone out and record if you can. Having a recording going preemptively for what is a very rare occurrence leads me to believe that you'll be painted as a person intentionally looking for a fight, no matter what the video shows.

Cops wear cams because we know they have to be confrontational and we want to know how situations unfold. It follows that a private citizen wearing a cam may also attempt to be confrontational.

So, no, don't wear a body cam.

You don't have to let your body cam be constantly recording. Mine powers on and starts recording with a single button press so you can easily activate in a moments notice when needed.

And sure, if someone is the type who goes around instigating fights with others then the body cam is probably not for them. However it could potentially provide evidence that you did everything you could before resorting to lethal force.

How a jury of your "peers" will interpret this eveidence, no one can predict.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Watching all the dash cam footage on youtube of "bad drivers", more often than not, the camera operators themselves are also bad drivers So, my opinion? Only camera that should be on your person is a gun cam on the gun, and even then, only if you're in a fighter plane. @Ura-Ki

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Either that or set up a "Hot Button" on your phone that will instantly start recording when pressed. My 4 year old phone takes at least 15 seconds of ducking with it before opening the camera.

 

[Swiss_Cheeze]

As I mentioned on another forum...

Commando is great - that free & easy feeling - until your pants split in front of your friend, his wife, your wife, and their beagle while you're trying to pull up a boat anchor I feel most bad for my friend, because he'll always just feel inferior knowing his wife got a great view of my apples & banana At least the beagle didn't come sniff by starfish

Well better that then get caught wearing the wife's undies

 

[jupiterjones82]

Good tips on armor, but the thread is on body worn cameras

You're absolutely right! no body camera necessary then! Just justify the minimum amount of force used to a jury of your peers.

 

[Camelfilter]

I voted no.

Don't want to run into "reasonable", as in it becoming "reasonable" that a private citizen should do so, to have to clear a DGU.

I'd rather (in some Wayne World alternative reality) that all criminals CONVICTED of VIOLENT crime be automatically quadruple sentenced no parole for NOT HAVING body cams when said crime was committed...

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

in my opinion, no. keep to yourself and dont go lookin for trouble. be situationally aware enough to know to avoid certain areas. killing someone is an absolute last resort.. its always good to be armed.always be ready but just pray you never have to use it

 

[DangerDog]

I have multiples dash cams to protect me in and around my vehicle; and I've been looking around for a body cam. It'll clear up any confusion of any incident that may occur, and will keep me even more in check from doing anything stupid. There are cameras dang near everywhere though, so I'm usually always on my best behavior in public.

 

[TTSX]

My vote goes along "depends" because I can see how it'd be useful to get rid of a bunch of he said, she said but I certainly don't think it's required equipment. It could also damn you just the same as a dash cam could. Unless your name is Bruce Wayne, I think a whole awful lot of EDC gear is unnecessary and bulky

 

[Alexx1401]

I have mentioned before I wear one when I walk my dogs. It all started long ago when one dog was a puppy and I had a run in with a guy down the street when his dog tried to make a meal out of mine. He was quite offended that I did not just allow this. Wife got scared one of these would turn bad. The camera has come in SUPER handy many times over this. Now I do not bother to wear it all the time but, it would sure as hell be nice to have if I ever have to draw on someone again.

 

[JohnnyMac]

I tend to think that it would have to be a concealed camera as well, because having a camera visible would pretty much broadcast that you are carrying so technically you are no longer really concealed carrying.

At any rate, I vote NO. There are many places a camera comes in handy. I have dash cams and home cams, and my phone in a pinch, but not gonna wear one just because I carry.

 

[titsonritz]

Do what you what you want, it's a free country (or at least use to be).

 

[HaveGun]

WA has one of the strictest, if not the strictest privacy protections in the country. You could loophole it by announcing that you are recording, if you remember to. Reasonable expectation of privacy is one of the thresholds. As this is legal stuff, there is no hard answer except "it depends". Because of that, I voted that it is a bad idea, since some circumstances will be out of your control and a spotlight will be put on your actions...after the fact...with maybe months of review...by lawyers and 12 strangers. Review some of the second guessing that goes on in threads on this very forum. Do you want to be subjected to that? Sometimes your word against theirs can be an advantage.

Affirm.

Employee at my company was dealing with an abusive coworker and there was an incident. HR requested relevant video of the incident from security and met with the abused employee.

They reviewed the video and said while the video shows that the abusive employee was indeed animated and possibly could have been verbally abusive, they didn't have any audio of the incident due to no company video recording sound due to state law in Washington.

The abused employee then piped up and said that he actually recorded the whole incident on his smart phone and showed HR his video with sound. He was immediately terminated for breaking the law on company property.

 

[Jason Brown]

I tend to think that it would have to be a concealed camera as well, because having a camera visible would pretty much broadcast that you are carrying so technically you are no longer really concealed carrying.

At any rate, I vote NO. There are many places a camera comes in handy. I have dash cams and home cams, and my phone in a pinch, but not gonna wear one just because I carry.

Why would the cam give you away? Assuming the firearm you are carrying is concealed somewhere on your person. I can see how someone might draw that conclusion but I don't think most people walking around in society are thinking on a high enough level to conclude you are armed by seeing just your bodycam. Maybe I am underestimating them?

 

[JohnnyMac]

Why would the cam give you away?

I guess I assumed this was asking whether it should be a law. If concealed carriers were required to have a camera. But looking back I see this is just asking whether someone should in a moral or responsible sense, rather than a required legality. Either way, answer is no for me.

 

[Jason Brown]

I guess I assumed this was asking whether it should be a law. If concealed carriers were required to have a camera. But looking back I see this is just asking whether someone should in a moral or responsible sense, rather than a required legality. Either way, answer is no for me.

That would be nuts if cams were required for concealed carry, but who knows what our good old law makers will cook up tomorrow.

 

[CountryGent]

Personally? No.

I don't go looking for trouble and keep to myself. I don't hang out with the criminal class nor deliberately go to places where they are likely to congregate. Sometimes my travels, business or pleasure, takes me to cities with much higher crime rates, and/or out late at night, but a little common sense goes a long way.

CHL is for when I am not in my home, office, etc., and a problem comes looking for me, and it cannot be avoided. The data provided by a cam may be beneficial, but it is so far down the list of concerns, I can't see wearing one. To each their own.

 

[awshoot]

I have multiples dash cams to protect me in and around my vehicle; and I've been looking around for a body cam. It'll clear up any confusion of any incident that may occur, and will keep me even more in check from doing anything stupid. There are cameras dang near everywhere though, so I'm usually always on my best behavior in public.

I put a dashcam in my vehicle and after doing so, it caused me to be more careful. That thing can exonerate me OR it can rake me over the coals.

I'm not sure how I feel about a bodycam. I can see how a prosecutor could argue it demonstrated I was itching for a fight, having seen police bodycam video which is entirely unenlightening because of the angle, the jiggle, or the arms in the way, I could see how it creates a canvas for people to paint their own prejudices on, and at the same time, with the way false narratives spread in the press, it could also help out with liars and their media compatriots if you get lucky and have clear video.

I don't think there is a good answer.

 

[DangerDog]

I put a dashcam in my vehicle and after doing so, it caused me to be more careful. That thing can exonerate me OR it can rake me over the coals.

I'm not sure how I feel about a bodycam. I can see how a prosecutor could argue it demonstrated I was itching for a fight, having seen police bodycam video which is entirely unenlightening because of the angle, the jiggle, or the arms in the way, I could see how it creates a canvas for people to paint their own prejudices on, and at the same time, with the way false narratives spread in the press, it could also help out with liars and their media compatriots if you get lucky and have clear video.

I don't think there is a good answer.

Coals aren't so bad. It's the lava you wanna watch out for.

 

[DangerDog]

I put a dashcam in my vehicle and after doing so, it caused me to be more careful. That thing can exonerate me OR it can rake me over the coals.

I'm not sure how I feel about a bodycam. I can see how a prosecutor could argue it demonstrated I was itching for a fight, having seen police bodycam video which is entirely unenlightening because of the angle, the jiggle, or the arms in the way, I could see how it creates a canvas for people to paint their own prejudices on, and at the same time, with the way false narratives spread in the press, it could also help out with liars and their media compatriots if you get lucky and have clear video.

I don't think there is a good answer.

And burden of proof is on the prosecution. They have to present evidence and prove that you intentionally started the incident or you kept antagonizing. If you mind your sweet P's and your curly Q's and make every attempt to get out of the situation, regardless if a stand your ground law exists; then there's not much they can go off of unless someone has a history of starting things. It's all about de-escalation, and not putting oneself in the situation to begin with. However sometimes the situation is forced upon us and we must use better judgement on how to handle that situation.