It wasn't too terribly long ago that the Left was demanding the widespread use of police body cams. They claimed, contrary to all evidence, that police were engaged in systemic racism and targeting Black Americans in law enforcement efforts, and that police intentionally shoot more Black suspects.
The Left was really hoping cameras would show rampant police brutality. Instead, the public got an eye-opening glimpse into the violence and danger police face on a daily basis. That's why the narrative is shifting around body cams, with the Left now calling them "tools of propaganda" because they no longer support the Left's narrative.
On February 2, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced ICE agents would be wearing body cams nationwide. Just two days later, New York Magazine dropped this story, attacking body cams once again.
There are now more than 150 YouTube channels devoted to the unredacted arrests of everyday people. The most popular uploads are the most salacious and humiliating: “When Suspects Try to FLIRT With Cops” boasts 7.9 million views; “Hooters Waitress Tells Cop ‘I Can Take It All… pic.twitter.com/JVdZQiQQFb
— New York Magazine (@NYMag) February 4, 2026
The worst 40 minutes of April’s life are a hit on YouTube. The lengthy, humiliating clip has 195,000 views and more than a thousand comments, nearly all insults and jokes at April’s expense. It includes her full name, unobscured face, and clear voice. April can’t bring herself to watch it through, but she’s read every comment. She fantasizes, sometimes, about replying, letting everyone know that she’s no longer the person in that video. “This is April,” she would write, “and I’ve now been sober for three years.”
It happened during the pandemic, back when April’s addiction was at its worst. She was in her third year of college, and her small southern city was a sleepy place. Just about the only thing to do, she tells me, was drink. And so she drank. On the night in question, she got into a fight with her best friend: It was late, they were a few shots in, and things got heated. He stormed out, and she drove off to look for him. She was “completely tweaked.” She crashed into a parked car and was arrested on the spot. The video starts as the officer steps from his cruiser, clicking on his body camera. April looks frantic and disheveled. She protests that she’s sober and tries to talk her way out of things. That doesn’t work, and the video ends at the county jail. The commenters call her a “liar” and a “brat.”
April was sentenced to a year’s probation, and during that period, she changed a lot in her life. She took time off school and joined Alcoholics Anonymous. Her family supported her recovery, even attending her two-year celebration. Today, her life is markedly different. Three years clean, she’s finished her degree and now works as a schoolteacher. Her job is exhausting, but she has a sense of purpose: She’s fulfilling a lifelong ambition. She’s in a relationship, too, and she’s finally feeling a little more grounded.
It's a good thing this helped April turn her life around. But it shows the stuff cops put up with on a daily basis, and April was a mild case. We've seen the criminals who try to harm them with weapons and vehicles. We've seen the Leftists hurl racial slurs at law enforcement.
YOU wanted us to have bodycams. YOU told us cops were hunting minorities for sport. Now we know you're lying, you're trying to find an angle to demonize them. Get. Bent.
— Sour Patch Mom ن (@sourpatchlyds) February 5, 2026
Never forget this. Democrats wanted them, right up until the body cams didn't support their anti-cop, pro-criminal narrative.
Translation:
— The Doctor (@TennantRob) February 5, 2026
We assumed body cams would catch bad cops because we assumed they were the bad guys.
Instead, we found out that the officers are just doing their jobs and that it’s the suspects that act shamefully.
Yeah, there are still some bad cops. But the cameras showed they're the minority.
People should absolutely watch tese videos because it shows just how much cops put up with.
— Sensurround (@ShamashAran) February 5, 2026
If you ever wondered why it takes cops 45 mins to come, watch these channels. They give the worst of society 200 chances to not get arrested, and they never get the message.
The message never seems to sink in, does it?
I watch a lot of body cams at work and it has completely changed how I view the police here. These guys walk into homes on reports of child abuse and speak to families with kindness, consideration, and patience. They often spend entire evenings helping mothers access services, or… https://t.co/DZRkZcsYlL
— Melba Aguilar, E-squire (@MelbaofNM) February 6, 2026
"Anyways, big body cam fan," Aguilar wrote.
It took them 37 years, but New York magazine has at long last taken a stance against the TV show “COPS.” https://t.co/55B2d7Af05
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) February 6, 2026
They've got their elbow on the pulse of things.
It may be my favorite thing that insistence for bodycams blew up in Prog’s faces. 🥰 https://t.co/zRrJeEGugd pic.twitter.com/iA1ZFBNka3
— LouLou 🐾🐾 (@Flaaaaalala) February 5, 2026
They're not even hiding it.
Editor’s Note: The American people overwhelmingly support President Trump’s law and order agenda.
Help us fight back against the Democrats and Soros-backed DAs that refuse to enforce our laws to hold criminals accountable. Join Townhall VIP and using promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member