The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence has recommended the Fiji Police force track the implementation of body-worn and vehicle-mounted cameras.
The committee stated this in their review report of the Fiji Police Force 2017-2018 and 2019-2020 annual reports that was tabled in Parliament this week.
In response the Fiji Police Force said bodycam was a great initiative, however, it would come with a cost.
“It can assist in strengthening transparency, accountability and public trust,” said the Fiji Police Force.
Bodycam can be used to resolve public complaints more quickly, improving interaction between the public and the police and improve evidence gathering.
“However, the operation and maintenance of a bodycam would be a major factor. The authenticity of the recording may be questionable too.
“The bodycam has special docking stations where it is battery charged and data is downloaded. Thereafter, it gets directly stored on a database.
“This is to avoid manipulation. “Bodycam would mostly assist on a reactive approach to curb CAS (Complaints on Service) and CAP (Complaints Against Police), however, it may act as a deterrent to officers similar to cameras on mobile devices.”
