The police forces of American cities are the primary institution for enforcing our nation’s laws. But the nation is quickly realizing there can be confusion when those officers are the ones allegedly breaking laws.

During the past year, the United States was shaken by a string of widely publicized acts of alleged police brutality. Accounts of law enforcement officers acting with unrequited violence are rising, from Staten Island to the suburbs of St. Louis. Many times ending with suspect’s death.

Many have placed the blame on American gun culture, on underlying racism or on the militarization of our local police forces, among  myriad other reasons. But as difficult as it is to prescribe a reason to this concerning trend, that shouldn’t stop us from attempting to find a solution.

One of the solutions being proposed is that all police officers wear body cameras and recording devices. In the past proponents of the idea raised the issue, but until recently it failed to receive the discussion it deserves.

Mandatory cameras would provide undeniable video evidence in every case when an officer is questioned, benefiting society both when criminals and cops alike are put under legal scrutiny.

When an officer is at fault such a system would allow courts to serve justice, and in most cases records such as this would be useful to prosecutors in bringing criminals to justice. A cop who follows the law would see no downside.

The death of a civilian is always a high priority for a police department to investigate. But it is often difficult to know exactly what occurred, and oftentimes investigators have only the officer’s word to go on.

Having a first-person record of what transpired would help exonerate innocent officers who were legitimately threatened, or deem guilty those who acted unnecessarily. An honest cop has nothing to lose.

In our city, police cars display the motto “protect and serve.” When someone takes an oath to do that, they give up some rights. Law enforcement officers should be held to a higher standard than ordinary citizens. There is a method by which we can ensure this; all policemen should wear cameras.