[samatman]

My proposal is simple: a cop is someone deputized by the State to be a cop who is operating a body cam.

Body cam is off? He's just a citizen with a nightstick. When he's tried, prosecution is held in contempt of court if they allow the jury in any way to know that, were his camera on, he would have been a police officer. Same with the defendant: if he mouths off about what was otherwise his job, he's going to jail for as long as it takes to convene a fresh jury, no bail, contempt.

[lazyasciiart]

Sure it’s simple. You can get even simpler without changing the realistic probability of it happening: just don’t hire bad cops.

[samatman]

One of these is actionable, one of them isn't.

Mandatory body cams were also dismissed by the cynical, and it's the rule in many forces now, perhaps even most. This is just an extension of that policy.

[lazyasciiart]

No, it isn't actionable. It would require constitutional amendments in multiple states, changes to state law, changes to multiple federal laws, and I wouldn't be surprised if it all got thrown out at multiple levels. That is no more an action than "thoughts and prayers".

[nomel]

That requires a reliable test that can filter them, including new officers. If you think you can easily filter "good" and "bad" people, acting in extreme circumstances, you're delusional.

[lazyasciiart]

I don't think it's possible at all, let alone easy.