Milestone has surveyed the Danish population regarding which actors should initially be permitted to use body cameras to potentially document their experiences and interactions with others.
According to the report, the results are clear:
Body cameras should primarily be used by the police and emergency services:
- 91% believe that the police should have permission
- 87% believe that prison staff should have permission
- 81% believe that emergency services personnel should have permission
Additionally, there are several areas with potential conflicts where there is support for the use.
This includes:
- 61% believe that ticket inspectors and public transport employees should have permission to wear body cameras
- 51% believe that private security guards should have permission to wear body cameras
When it comes to the more general spread of body cameras, the Danish people are more skeptical. This applies to domains such as children, education, and health – and in the purely private sphere:
- 46% believe that healthcare personnel should have permission, while 38% are against
- 24% believe that educators and teachers should have permission, while 60% are against
- 13% believe that private citizens should have permission, while 72% are against
Political Nuances in the Use of Body Cameras
The mandate for police use of body cameras rests on a broad political consensus from all political camps:
- 91% who will vote for the current government in Denmark at the next parliamentary election believe that the police should have permission
- 90% who will vote for the red opposition at the next parliamentary election believe that the police should have permission
- 92% who will vote for the blue opposition at the next parliamentary election believe that the police should have permission
- 82% of those who have not indicated a party for the next parliamentary election believe that the police should have permission
The mandate is also broadly anchored in the political camps for the use of body cameras among prison and emergency services personnel.
Trust in the Police and Healthcare Personnel is High
Despite the focus on police behavior in a number of media cases, Danes’ attitude towards the police remains high.
Trust in healthcare personnel tops:
- 80% of Danes indicate that they trust the police
- 87% of Danes indicate that they trust healthcare personnel
The police stand out as one of the societal actors with the highest trust.
12% indicate that they do not trust the police. Trust in the police is high among the voters of the current government (87%), red opposition (79%), blue opposition (79%), and those who have not indicated a party choice (71%).
78% of men and 82% of women trust the police.
Older people’s trust in the police is higher than among the young. 84% of individuals aged 55 and over trust the police, compared to 75% of individuals between 18 and 34 years.
Advantages of Body Cameras
Milestone has also asked Danes regarding the possible benefits of using body cameras. Here, it’s crucial that it increases safety and security for those wearing it and provides better documentation of incidents.
Possible Benefits of Using Body Cameras
- What do you see as the most significant benefits of using body cameras in a professional context for individuals authorized to use them?
- Protection against false accusations and unjust criticism: 72%
- More accurate documentation of work-related incidents: 63%
- Increased safety for the individuals wearing the camera: 61%
- Reduction of conflicts and misunderstandings through objective documentation: 54%
- Better prevention of crime: 46%
- Strengthened accountability and transparency: 31%
- Improvement of learning and evaluation: 25%
- Improvement of communication and collaboration: 19%
Concerns Regarding Body Cameras
The survey also uncovers possible concerns that decision-makers should be aware of.
Concerns and Points of Attention Regarding the Use of Body Cameras
- What are your primary concerns regarding the use of body cameras in Denmark?
- Potential for misuse of recordings: 47%
- Lack of clear guidelines and legislation: 41%
- Risk of intrusion into privacy: 41%
- Risk of recordings falling into the wrong hands: 41%
- Feeling of surveillance increasing mistrust among citizens: 33%
- Risk of bias in the interpretation or use of recordings: 21%
- Technological errors leading to inaccurate recordings: 21%
Trust in Businesses. Danish Companies Play a Special Role
Milestone has inquired about trust in businesses and the digital realm. Here, it is crucial for Danes where the companies are based. Moreover, a significant portion of Danes view companies within Tech with some skepticism:
- 65% of Danes express trust in private companies
- 51% of Danes express trust in IT and technology companies
Men and women have roughly the same level of trust in private companies, while older age groups have more trust than younger ones. Individuals who vote for the current government (71%) and individuals who vote for the blue opposition (70%) have more trust in private companies than those who vote for the red opposition (58%).
When asking about specific countries of origin, there are significant variations in trust:
- 66% of Danes express trust in Danish IT and technology companies
- 51% of Danes express trust in European IT and technology companies
- 34% of Danes express trust in American IT and technology companies
- 15% of Danes express trust in Chinese IT and technology companies
There is no difference in trust in Danish IT companies between men and women. However, individuals between 18 and 34 years (72%) have more trust in Danish IT companies than older age groups. There are no political differences in trust in Danish IT companies.
Method of the survey:
Responses were collected in a national, representative survey among 1,000 Danes. The collection has been ensured to be representative in terms of gender, regions, age, and education, and the data has been weighted based on these parameters. Data collection was conducted by Norstat Denmark during the period of January 31st to February 7th, 2024, via Norstat’s web panel.
