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Editorial: Dashcams can be good witnesses for prosecution or defense

Tribune-Review
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CCTV car camera for safety on the road accident

Smile, you’re on camera.

When it comes to being caught on tape, people can have mixed reactions.

There are the those who want areas with high crime potential — like public parks or transportation hubs — to have cameras to help track down offenders or discourage opportunistic threats. Others are concerned about the overreach of government — worried about how the data will be used or how movements could be tracked. There are even those who approach it with a resigned shrug, assuming it is already happening.

But then there are those who add their own cameras to the mix. Doorbell cameras. Nanny cams. Lenses angled to check out the backyard or the garage. Some people want as much access to information and documentation of what happens in their arenas as possible. And that’s not even mentioning the cameras on smartphones.

But, increasingly, that’s not even enough. People are adding cameras in their cars. Dashcams — at a cost of $50 to $300 — are popping up in more and more vehicles. Sales in 2022 are expected to be up 15% over 2021, adding another 1.3 million to those already in use.

“They help people capture video of their travels, add security to the vehicles or offer helpful documentation in case of an accident,” said Rick Kowalski, director of industry analysis at the Consumer Technology Association.

That’s great. They can provide reassuring proof in the event of a problem, whether it’s a parking lot fender bender or a tense traffic stop.


Related:

Dashboard cameras, key evidence in Blawnox shooting, gain popularity with motorists
'Don't pull over' in the midst of a road rage incident, trooper advises


With many supplementing their incomes in the gig economy by using their vehicles for delivery or transportation services, they can also bear witness situations turned dangerous — like the killing of Uber driver Christi Spicuzza in February. The accused, Calvin Crew, allegedly ripped the camera off the dash after pulling a gun, police said. It was found discarded later.

But people also have to realize that the cameras might capture more than someone else’s behavior.

Kevin McSwiggen, 40, of Pittsburgh was arrested in the shooting death of off-duty police Officer Charles Stipetitch, 23, of Blawnox. The timeline of the road rage incident is spelled out in the criminal complaint, in part, because it was documented on McSwiggen’s dashboard camera, obtained by police with a search warrant.

Our vehicles can seem like our private spaces — little rolling extensions of our homes. That can make them important to protect. But it is important to remember that our vehicles are not entirely private. They take us into public situations, interacting with others in situations where cameras can definitely be valuable tools.

But it is important to remember that prosecutors and police can use those tools regardless of whom they incriminate. They should discourage dangerous behavior by the users as much as they do by others.

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Categories: Editorials | Opinion
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