Body-worn cameras were supposed to bring transparency to policing, but after three years of reviewing footage in my city, I've noticed a troubling pattern: officers seem to be switching them off at the most critical moments. A 2023 study found that in nearly 40% of use-of-force incidents, the camera was either not activated or malfunctioned, and departments rarely enforce consequences. If these devices are treated as optional rather than mandatory with automatic activation, they're just expensive decor. The public deserves to know whether technology is actually protecting us or just protecting the department's image. Should body cameras be legally required to stay on during all interactions with civilians?