Body cams on police officers - they are seen as the standard in law enforcement transparency - providing protection and credible defences for both civilians and cops. But, while there are lingering questions about whether the cameras really do enhance law enforcement accountability - the Belize Police Department is adopting them.
There's already a policy in place and today the Minister of Tourism ponied up with 100 body cams. He donated it to the Minister and Commissioner at a press conference this afternoon at the Raccoon Street station - and we had questions.
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
"We believe that the police officers that ensure that we are safe on a daily basis should also be accountable and taking this next step in terms of providing the bodycam will ensure that they do so."
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"The unit that currently utilizes bodycams in their operations, we've seen a drastic decline on almost 80% in the number of incidents relating to abuse by police officers and so this is a very effective tool. Not only does it result in greater accountability of our officers, but also it provides much needed footage and many instances we see splice videos making it on to the media whereby individuals don't show what prompted a situation to escalate, they only show a situation that attempts to make officers look bad and so this now gives us the opportunity to have the full picture from start to end of any incident in which the officers are engage in a particular operation and so like I said this, it is hope can certainly lead to a greater reduction in the number of instances of allege abuse."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"While the bodycam will be used as a means of check and balance, it can also be used as a means to confirm or deny allegations that are made against police officers. So, I would want to encourage police officers to see the bodycam as something that is helpful to them instead of something detrimental. It is detrimental to you if it is that you will be out there committing yourselves or doing something out of the ordinary. But, if it is that you are going to about doing your job the way it is to be done then certainly there should be no fear in the use of the bodycam. The checkpoints we have across the country, there is a serious issue in terms of the amount of allege extortions. So I have said to Minister that each checkpoint will be equip with bodycams and the officers who perform those checkpoints must ensure that at all times they wear the bodycam and the bodycam must be running. We currently have infrastructure in place in terms of making sure that there is proper usage of the bodycam by way of our bodycam policies and I trust that commanders are going to ensure that the policies we have that governs the use of bodycams is adhere to by every member. All we need is the computer to download the footages after the tour of duty is done and then we have people to review and we should be good to go from there."
Jules Vasquez
"Is it included in the policy that there is a way the press or a defence attorney, for example can access what was recorded on the bodycam?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"To answer your question, certainly yes. If it is that there is a need for us to release certain video footages, then we would be more than happy to do so."
Jules Vasquez
"But I don't want to hear that you are happy, I want to hear that you are oblige to do it, that you shall do it. Not that you may or you might or depends on how I feel. Is there a policy? This is how a transparent society works."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"There is access to the freedom of information act. If it is that you believe that you are entitle to see certain things and the commissioner don't want to release it, then you take me to court for it."
And while body cams provide the police officer's point of view - the fact is civilians recording on their cell phones have provided some of the most important and pivotal footage in history - just look at George Floyd….
And that's why Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa agreed with our suggestion that civilians have to keep those cameras rolling:...
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"Even before the instruction of bodycams, we have seen situations where members of the public have taken it on themselves to record their engagements with the police and that is fine and that is encouraged. The issue that I have like I mentioned earlier is a lot of the times they don't show their aggression that led the police to do what they did and so what this does it sorts of levels the playing field, because then you get 2 sides of the story, not just the one side, so while it is that we do have this from the police angle now, we still encourage all civilians, all members of the public, if there is a situation that you are uncomfortable with, of course take out your cell phone."
