This paper examines the impact of body-worn video (BWV)
on the police craft skills of close observation,
note-taking, investigative analysis, report-writing
and preparation of evidence for the courts. It
explains how the technology functions and explores
its surveillant, investigative, probative and
regulatory applications. The evidence shows that
policing tasks are being transformed by BWV cameras
and analytics such as facial recognition. The paper
argues that BWV exemplifies the automation of
policing – the replacement of police labour with
mechanical devices – and explores the implications
of this for transparency, accountability, fairness
and police discretion.