Dr. Christopher Schneider’s work on the impact of technology on policing draws national and international recognition as Brandon introduces body cameras for its police service
Following the publication of his co-authored book, Police Body-Worn Cameras: Media and the New Discourse of Police Reform, earlier this year, Brandon University (BU) Professor of Sociology Dr. Christopher J. Schneider has solidified his position as a leading sought-after voice on police body-worn cameras. Professor Schneider recently provided his research expertise to two major venues: a public hearing of the Boston City Council and a segment on HBO’s Emmy Award-winning program Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
On April 7, 2026, Dr. Schneider gave invited testimony before the Boston City Council Public Safety Committee at a public hearing examining the Boston Police Department’s protocols for releasing body camera footage. The hearing comes amid heightened public scrutiny following a fatal police-involved shooting in Boston in March and the subsequent manslaughter charge against a Boston police officer; a case in which body camera evidence has been cited by prosecutors as key evidence but withheld from public view.
“Body-worn camera programs whether in Boston or in Brandon are only as good as their policies; whenever feasible, policies must align with public expectations of how body cameras ought to work for the public because it is the public who pay for body camera programs,” says Dr. Schneider. The timing of Dr. Schneider’s testimony is particularly resonant for western Manitoba. The Brandon Police Service is introducing body-worn cameras for its officers this month, making some of the questions raised in Boston directly relevant to local conversations about body camera policy.
“Dr. Schneider’s research raises important questions that matter deeply to communities everywhere, including right here in Brandon. As our own police service adopts body-worn cameras, the kind of rigorous, evidence-informed thinking that Chris brings to this issue is exactly what policymakers and the public need. Brandon University is proud to have a scholar whose work is shaping these conversations at the highest levels,” says Dr. Gregory Kennedy, Dean of Arts at BU.
Dr. Schneider’s Boston appearance follows his contribution to a high-profile American news comedy program. In October 2025, he was contacted by the production team of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver to provide research expertise for an episode on police body cameras. That episode aired on March 1, 2026, reaching millions of viewers across North America and bringing scholarly analysis of body camera policy to a broad public audience.
“Dr. Schneider exemplifies the kind of impact-driven research that Brandon University strives to foster, scholarship that is academically rigorous, publicly engaged, and responsive to real-world challenges. Being invited to testify before a major American city council and to inform international broadcast journalism reflects the genuine reach and relevance of the work happening here. We congratulate Dr. Schneider on these remarkable contributions and look forward to supporting his continued leadership in this field” says Dr. Bernadette Ardelli, Vice-President, Research & Graduate Studies at BU.
The Boston City Council hearing addresses questions that scholars and policymakers have grappled with since body cameras became widespread: when footage should be released to the public, what standards should govern those decisions, and how oversight bodies can ensure accountability. These are questions with direct implications for communities like Brandon navigating the implementation of body camera programs.
Dr. Schneider’s full testimony and the Q&A session from the hearing are available via the City of Boston’s public stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok_cKeUwd9k&t=7388
The Last Week Tonight body camera episode is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok_cKeUwd9k
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