Use of Body Worn Camera (BWC) In Gray Scenarios: a Law Enforcement Officers’ Perspective

Body Worn Camera (BWC) is an Information Technology (IT) artefact that has begun to be used in law enforcement. In this paper, we develop a research model that focuses on law enforcement agents’ perspective about the ethical use of BWC, by extending rational choice theory (RCT) from the standpoint of cost/benefit of using BWC, contextual factors, as well as organisational justice. The paper tests the relationship between three factors: a) work motivation, b) cost of using BWC, and c) benefit of using BWC and police perceptions of ethical use of BWC. In addition, we test the moderating effects of work-related uncertainty on the above three relationships. The associations between organisational justice factors and work motivation are also discussed. Further, in collaboration with the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), we develop three grey BWC scenarios that are not clearly ethical nor clearly unethical. We apply a survey methodology to test the model in the context of grey scenarios. The results show that work motivation and the risk of using BWC are negatively related with the law enforcement agents’ perceptions about ethical use of BWC and these relationships are negatively moderated by work-related uncertainty, while justice constructs are positively associated with perceived work motivation.