DEPUTY Speaker Bernadette Herrera yesterday told PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar that the mandatory wearing of body cameras by police officers is necessary to save the police’s image and regain public trust.
“Public trust in the police has been in distress lately because of the continuing involvement of some police officers in brutality towards quarantine violators, red-baiting of community pantry organizers, misencounter with fellow law enforcers, and planting evidence during raids. (The) Mandatory wearing of body cameras by police officers can somehow regain the trust of Filipinos in the police force,” Herrera said in statement.
The House leader urged Eleazar to continuously update the public about the rollout of the police body cameras, saying it use in Philippine law enforcement is long overdue.
“We need to provide Filipinos with ample, appropriate, and technology-updated law enforcement and protection of civil liberties. Appropriate body cam use in law enforcement can protect the innocent and law enforcers and help mete out justice on those who choose to violate the law with impunity,” she said.
Eleazar said the police force only has around 3,000 body cameras that will be distributed only to city police stations nationwide.
Eleazar, meanwhile, said police community precinct commanders would be relieved from their post if their precincts are found to be untidy during surprise inspections.
