Punjab launches body-worn cameras for police on CM Maryam's order

Body-worn cameras have been introduced for the police field force across Punjab for the first time.

"Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's vision of a safe Punjab envisages effective and transparent policing," an official statement said.

On the directions of the chief minister, training of the police field force for the use of body-worn cameras has been completed.

The project is being launched initially in Lahore, while installation of docking points for the cameras at police stations has also begun. The cameras will be connected with Smart Safe City systems established in 43 cities across Punjab.

Punjab Police, Punjab Highway Patrol, Dolphin Force and Traffic Wardens will wear the cameras while performing their duties. The digital facial recognition feature of the body-worn cameras will help identify suspects. The state-of-the-art cameras will also facilitate automated reading of motorcycle and vehicle number plates, while an instant threat alert can be generated in an emergency.

The cameras are equipped with a calling facility for immediate communication. Police personnel will be able to record audio and video and take photographs through the device.

During duty, recordings will be stored in the cameras' built-in memory. After completing their duty, police personnel will place the cameras at designated docking points. The recorded data will then be automatically transferred from the cameras and securely stored.

The 'Push-to-Talk' facility will enable field-duty officers to establish immediate contact with the control room, while an 'SOS' emergency button will allow them to alert the control room in emergency situations. The cameras will be connected with a central monitoring system, and live monitoring of the cameras will be carried out at the respective district Safe City control rooms.

The chief minister said the cameras would not only facilitate monitoring but also help curb corruption. "Ensuring a sense of security among the public, particularly vulnerable segments, is the real measure of success," she said, adding that protection of life and property of every individual in Punjab was the foremost responsibility of the government.