By Aidan Fox ’16, News Editor

On Saturday, April 4, an all-too-familiar tragedy transpired when South Carolina police officer Michael T. Slager shot an unarmed black man named Walter Scott, after pulling him over for a broken brake light. Fortunately, a bystander captured a relatively clear video of the event. It shows the 50-year-old Scott fleeing after apparently being shot with a Taser and the officer subsequently firing eight shots at Scott’s back. Slager claimed that the Coast Guard veteran grabbed his Taser, although the bystander who recorded the footage says otherwise. Without the video, says the victim’s father, “It would have never come to light. They would have swept it under the rug, like they did with many others.” In North Charleston, the town in which the shooting occurred, peaceful demonstrations broke out. A series of protesters spoke about racism in the nation and in their town. One said, “This has been in the North Charleston Police Department for many, many years. It just so happened we got a video.” Because of the video, the officer has been fired and arrested for murder. The police chief said he was “sickened” by the video and could only watch it once.

Once again, calls for dashboard cameras to be installed and policemen to wear body cameras have

increased. “Everyone in this business knows that cops have been given the benefit of the doubt,” said Hugh F. Keefe, a Connecticut defense lawyer who has defended for several police officers. “They’re always assumed to be telling the truth, unless there’s tangible evidence otherwise.” While many body cameras have been put into the field around the nation in the past year and soon in North Charleston, that “unless” has spurred police opposition. The police have cited the expense of the cameras and the even greater expense of storing the massive loads of data. They often fear the cameras will be used against them in court, despite the argument that tangible evidence in the form of videotapes often supports the officers. David Harris, a law professor who studies police practices at the University of Pittsburgh said, “For the most part, unless you are behaving badly, those things are going to back you up.” An added advantage of the body cameras is that one study (albeit with limited data) in Rialto, California concluded that “when officers carry body cameras, they are less likely to use force.” In a CNN editorial, defense attorney Mark O’Mara wrote, “If Slager had been wearing a body camera, Scott would probably still be alive, and Slager wouldn’t be facing the possibility of life in prison—or a possible death sentence.” Furthermore, according to two separate studies conducted in Mesa, Arizona and the United Kingdom, citizen complaints decreased with the usage of body cameras.

This pattern of an incident followed by controversy has repeated itself too many times recently. The fact that the shooting was not a surprise to many, including residents of North Charleston, is a testament to how widespread and public these killings of unarmed black men by police officers are. While this has uncovered a national embarrassment, the news coverage has spread awareness, sparked protests, and begun movements for change. One can only hope that another similar case is not necessary to ignite further change.