Bill sets conditions for police body cameras

A revised justice ministry bill regulating the use of body cameras by police officers and in police vehicles is set to be examined on Wednesday by the House legal affairs committee.

The legislation allows for the installation and use of portable cameras on police uniforms, equipment, plain clothes and service vehicles, whether marked or unmarked, subject to approval by the police chief.

Cameras could record both audio and video and any material obtained may be used as evidence in criminal, disciplinary or civil proceedings.

According to the bill, cameras may be activated during arrests or searches, entry and searches of premises, pursuits of persons or vehicles, at crime scenes, incidents involving attacks against officers, and high-risk operations.

For unmarked police vehicles, recording may begin only after it is clearly communicated that the vehicle belongs to the police, through sirens, lights or another visible means.

While recording, devices must emit a visible signal to indicate activation.

Officers are also required to inform individuals within range that recording is taking place and to state the date, time and location at the start and end of each recording.

The bill provides that recording must stop as soon as the purpose for activation has been fulfilled.

Audiovisual material must be destroyed once court proceedings have concluded or an investigation has been discontinued.

The revised text follows objections raised when the bill was first submitted in early 2023, with police associations seeking clearer rules on data management, accountability and the protection of undercover operations.

The justice ministry said the amendments address those concerns while balancing the protection of police officers and the public.

The legislation also introduces penalties for misuse, providing that any unauthorised activation of cameras, or access to recorded material, constitutes a criminal offence punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment.