Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has rolled out body cameras to its officers as they continue to embrace technology in their enforcement duties.
A few months ago, the Smart Traffic Enforcement System was launched in Harare and Bulawayo and several motorists have been caught committing various traffic offences.
Last week, police, working in collaboration with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) announced the use of breathalysers and speed trap cameras on major highways in a major development that is expected to curb drunk driving and speeding on the roads.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the latest development, saying the cameras were deployed to all the country’s provinces.
“Yes, the process has started. We have distributed the cameras to all the provinces and it’s the prerogative of the Officer Commanding the province on how those cameras will be distributed in their provinces,” said Comm Nyathi.
He said some police officers have already been trained on how to operate the cameras.
“I must emphasise though that training is ongoing, there is no specific group of officers that will use these cameras so the process of training is still ongoing,” said Comm Nyathi.
Body-worn cameras (BWCs) are relatively small devices that record interactions between the public, suspects, victims and law enforcement officers.
The video and audio recordings from BWCs can be used by law enforcement to demonstrate transparency to the public, to document statements, observations, behaviors, and other evidence; and to deter unprofessional, illegal, and inappropriate behaviors by both law enforcement and the public.
