The police commissioner, the police minister and the police union have all said they want officers to wear body cameras. Why hasn’t it happened yet?
Police body camera footage is often used in other countries in investigations after officer-involved shootings, such as the case of missing Marokopa father Tom Phillips, who was killed on Monday after firing on and critically wounding a constable, or the fatal police shooting of a woman in Christchurch last month.
Yet despite many saying they support introducing the cameras – and other New Zealand agencies already using the technology – they’re not being used by police at the moment.
Here’s where things stand.
Why don’t we have them yet?
It’s been talked about for at least six years.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said that he sees body cameras as a priority to deliver for frontline staff.
“Work is under way to explore options to do this while also considering the legal, privacy and operational issues this will raise,” he told RNZ.
Nearly two years ago in late September 2023, Police Association president Chris Cahill told the New Zealand Herald that its members supported the tech and it “was a matter of when not if” they were adopted.
But back in 2018, a review into adopting body cameras was quietly dropped, Stuff reported.
“There are several key issues that need to be resolved, the most obvious being how would the cameras be paid for and how would the ongoing costs of data storage be met?” Cahill said.
But Cahill said the devices could provide accurate accounts of what occurs in incidents – more reliably and with more access than phone footage from the public – and reduce the number of complaints against police.
“It will generally lead to increased levels of trust and confidence in police as the public witness how professionally officers act when faced with a variety of traumatic situations.”
“I’ve been very clear that under my time as commissioner I want to ensure that we do get body worn cameras,” Chambers also told Newstalk ZB recently.
Chambers began a five-year term as commissioner last November.
“It’s something that requires a lot of thought, a lot of investment,” he told Newstalk ZB.
Minister of Police Mark Mitchell also told Newstalk that “I personally like the body cameras”.
In a recent statement to RNZ, Mitchell said his office will act once recommendations come from police.
“The use of body-worn cameras is an operational decision for the Commissioner. As he has signalled, police is exploring options around the potential use of body cameras, and will bring me recommendations when it is complete.
“We will have more to say when the recommendations are delivered.”
What would they do?
Body and police vehicle dash cameras are in common use in many other countries.
Fixed dashboard cameras can record interactions from a vehicle, while the small body cameras are fixed to uniforms and can record actions wherever an officer goes.
Body camera footage can be used to investigate allegations of misconduct, or clear officers wrongly accused.
“It helps tell a story when you need to tell a story,” Chambers told Newstalk ZB.
“The very presence of body cameras can also lead to a change in offender behaviour which in turn can reduce assaults of officers,” Cahill said.
Police do use cameras in other ways, including mobile speed cameras and license number plate recognition systems. There have been concerns about the security of and access to those license plate systems, RNZ has previously reported. There have also been court challenges to their use.
Police have been replacing old tasers – which had on-board cameras – with new, more powerful but camera-less models.
RNZ has also previously reported that one of the options for a supplier of bodycams is the giant US company Axon. Both old and new models of taser are made by Axon, and New Zealand police use Axon’s ‘evidence.com’ data storage system.
Who else is currently using body cameras?
Body cameras are actually already being used by several other agencies throughout New Zealand.
The Department of Corrections uses them in prison facilities, and when escorting some individuals to court or hospital.
The Ministry of Justice introduced body cameras for court bailiffs in 2022, for use when they serve warrants, evictions and other court documents.
Fishery officers and honorary fishery officers also started wearing body cameras in 2022, after a number of incidents where staff were abused or threatened, the Ministry for Primary Industries said.
Auckland Transport also conducted a successful trial of body cameras for parking officers earlier this year due to aggressive behaviour they have encountered, and are expanding their use. Transport officers – the staff patrolling train stations and buses for safety – have had body-worn cameras for six years.
“While incidents do still occur from time to time, BWCs have become a valuable tool in helping to de-escalate situations for our transport officers, as well as providing high-quality evidential material when required,” AT head of parking and transport compliance Rick Bidgood said.
“They have proven to be an effective deterrent to aggression and have contributed positively to the safety and confidence of both our staff and the public.”
Te Pāti Māori has issued a call for mandatory police body cameras, saying it would prevent violence.
“From tamariki, mokopuna, to kaumātua, our people are being subjected to unjust and violent treatment by the state,” party co-leader Rawiri Waititi said.
“Te Pāti Māori is insisting on body cameras for police officers to ensure the safety of all those who come into contact with law enforcement. We can no longer stand by and allow this violence to continue unchecked.”
How much do they cost?
Body cams cost somewhere around $1000 each, but the bigger and more concerning cost involves the ongoing curation and storage of the vast amount of data they could produce.
There’s also concerns about how the footage could be used, how it might affect ongoing court proceedings, privacy issues and its availability to the public.
Cahill said there are plenty of issues that need to be worked out.
“Who would have access to the recordings and would they be subject to OIAs which will become overwhelming for police?
“There also needs to be consideration of the legal framework for the use of cameras. As it currently stands, police would be unclear of their legal right to use the cameras in a general policing environment.”
A 2021 report by the Police Association union noted that in 2020 the Baltimore Police Department spent $50 million to store data collected.
“As well as the extra physical space required for camera-docking stations, additional staff may be needed to maintain data storage and handle requests from the public to view footage,” that report noted.
In America, some states such as Ohio have started charging the public and media for access to body camera footage.
The New Zealand Civil Liberties Council has previously said they think an outside group would need to look at how footage is released, which could possibly be a job for the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
By Nik Dirga for rnz.co.nz
