Brief The Milwaukee Police Department’s Body-Worn Camera Program
Evaluation Findings and Key Takeaways
Bryce Peterson, Lilly Yu, Nancy G. La Vigne, Daniel Lawrence
Download Report
(305.36 KB)
This brief describes the results of the Urban Institute’s evaluation of the Milwaukee Police Department’s body-worn camera program. From October 2015 to December 2016, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) deployed body-worn cameras (BWCs) in a phased rollout to all of its roughly 1,100 patrol officers. Through a randomized controlled trial of 504 officers, the Urban Institute found that those who wore BWCs conducted fewer subject stops and were less likely to receive a complaint than officers who were not equipped with cameras. However, BWCs had no effect on whether officers engaged in use of force during the study period.
Research Areas Crime, justice, and safety
Tags Policing and community safety
Policy Centers Justice Policy Center
Related content
Media Name: milwaukee_body-worn_final.jpg
The Milwaukee Police Department’s body-worn camera (BWC) program began in October 2015 as a response to strained police relations in the city’s communities of color that were exacerbated by several highly public police shootings of black men in Milwaukee and across the country. The Urban Institut...