NDSU survey shows Fargo Police officers overwhelmingly support body cameras

An NDSU researcher says Fargo Police officers think more highly of body cameras than officers working in similarly-sized cities

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – An NDSU researcher says Fargo Police officers think more highly of body cameras than officers working in similarly-sized cities.

Dr. Carol Archbold with NDSU and the Challey Institute specializes in studying police accountability. She interviewed more than 100 Fargo Police officers for her survey.

Archbold says 94% of officers were in favor of using body cameras before the departments started doing so in 2021. After they started using body cameras, the acceptance rate grew. She says officers like body cameras in part because they bring an “extra set of eyes” to a situation.

She adds, “I know that the Fargo Police Department values accountability and that’s built into their culture, and I definitely think that’s present here in the results of the study.”

Archbold says the study shows how body cameras also improve interactions between officers and the community, which can enhance public trust and police accountability.