In September of this year, the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) is expected to implement the use of body cameras on a selected number of Officers, aimed at enhancing accountability and service to the public.
The initial roll out will involve officers of the Rapid Response Unit (RRU), Drug Squad and the Traffic Department.
“The effectiveness of this initiative will be monitored on an ongoing basis and a review will take place after six months of implementation, when a determination will be made on implementing this initiative across all departments of the Police Force,” shared Acting commissioner of Police, Edvin Martin during a media conference on Wednesday.
He expressed hope that this initiative will “mitigate adversarial interactions between Police Officers and members of the public.”
He added that “It will significantly enhance our capacity to gather and capture evidence at the scene of crimes and it will also provide a platform for investigative review if this becomes necessary.”
Commissioner Martin noted that jurisdictions where this initiative was implemented globally, has “been effective in holding Police Officers accountable as well as controlling interactions between Police and members of the public.”
He noted that the appropriate adjustment to the respective legislations will be made accordingly, stating however that he doesn’t foresee any fundamental challenge in the body cam recordings. He noted that recordings from closed circuit cameras on buildings are used as evidence in investigations.
The Commissioner said protocols are being developed and this will be followed by training so that Officers will get an understanding of the conditions under which body cameras are to be used in a manner that is consistent with law enforcement standards internationally.
