NPR Kelly McEvers 'Embedded' special on police videos
An NPR special by Kelly McEvers about the proliferation of videos of police encounters, and their affect on life in America and police-community relations.
Based on NPR's in-depth reporting for the "Embedded" podcast.
The hour features three stories, each centering on a different incident. In one, an unarmed black man is fatally shot by police. The dash-cam footage is subsequently used by both the prosecution and the defense as the officer stands trial.
In another, a policeman's body-cam captures his own death at the hands of a suspect. That haunting video goes on to become a big part of police training even as it raises many questions.
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Finally, a tense standoff between an officer and a murder suspect ends without a single bullet fired. And how the ubiquity of these videos may have led to that outcome.
The three stories portray a vivid picture of the current cultural moment; one that some researchers say is prompting the most significant reevaluation of police-community relations since the videotaped beating of Rodney King in the early 1990s.
To listen to the program, click the audio player above.
Further reading
• Expert: Research suggests police body cams have a 'civilizing effect'
• Study: Scientists hunt hard evidence on how cop cameras affect behavior
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