Florida has joined the nationwide trend of equipping its police with body cameras. Law enforcement departments across the state are employing this aid. The use of body cams has been promoted as a tool for accountability for both officers and the public.
Mistrust that has lingered after the fiasco in Ferguson, Missouri, has edged the issue forward. Miami Beach recently announced plans to use the cameras in an expanded way. Code enforcement and other workers who deal with the public will soon be wearing the devices.
Jewish belief affirms that “someone” is watching. The Mishnah counsels that individuals are accountable, warning of “An eye that sees and an ear that hears and all that one does is recorded.” In reality, it is very hard, even for believers, to actually live congruently with this belief.
We all have an incredible ability to justify and condone our behavior. We feel we had mitigating circumstances. We feel we were provoked. We explain that we are, after all, only human. Our ability to rationalize is infinite.
One would think that individuals who know their words and actions are being recorded would be on their best behavior. However, the thinking part of the human brain is not always in use when an adrenalin rush or a heated exchange takes place. Hopefully, the use of audio-video equipment will stem some of the wanton violence that has become endemic in society.
A premise of quantum physics is that matter reacts differently when it is observed. We will have to wait and see if this phenomenon applies to body cameras.