Police body cameras reveal accountability gaps in law enforcement encounters

(InvestigateTV) — A tiny device has transformed the way people interact with police across America.

The first police body-worn cameras appeared in the United States in 2012 in Arizona and California.

By 2014, the federal government announced a plan to help local agencies adopt the new tool following protests calling for police accountability after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

The adoption rate grew rapidly.

By 2016, nearly half of all law enforcement agencies used body cameras. As of 2020, use was 79 percent, according to the Police Executive Research Forum.

Today, body cameras continue to play critical roles in telling the full story of police encounters.

Tennessee deputy accused of DUI during diabetic emergency

In southeastern Tennessee, a former sheriff’s deputy said he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, or DUI, while he was actually suffering from a medical emergency.

There were reports that Dean Binkley was driving erratically on Rutledge Ford Road in Franklin County when Trooper Ryan Nichols responded to multiple calls about his driving.

“We’re getting a lot of calls about your driving. You’re all over the roadway,” Nichols said on body-camera footage.

Binkley appeared confused and stumbled during the traffic stop, leading to his arrest on suspicion of DUI. However, body camera footage revealed key details about his condition.

“I need sugar,” Binkley said after being arrested.

Binkley said he was returning from his doctor when his blood sugar levels crashed.

“I’m just like I’m drunk,” Binkley said, describing his experience with low blood sugar.

Paramedics said that low blood sugar in people with diabetes can cause symptoms similar to intoxication, including stroke-like symptoms, forgetfulness and slurred speech.

Nichols also made this comment to another officer: “I mean, if it is medical, then he can prove all that in court. I don’t care to lose a court case.”

Binkley, who made more than 100 DUI arrests during his career as a sheriff’s deputy, said he was taught how to respond to people with diabetes during his academy training.

The charges against Binkley were dismissed seven months later when blood work showed “no substances were shown in the defendant’s system.”

In August 2025, just over a year after the arrest, Binkley filed a federal lawsuit against Trooper Nichols.

He joins a growing list of drivers who claim they were wrongfully arrested for DUI and are pursuing legal action against Tennessee state troopers.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol did not respond to requests for comment.

See the story.