Body-worn cameras ‘of very little value’ in a shoot-out, says Chang

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is again being urged to make use of body-worn cameras as part of its standard operating procedure.

Leading expert on national security and economic development at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Anthony Clayton, said their mandatory use is even more crucial in instances where the police are aware that they are going into a potentially violent confrontation.

Clayton’s comment comes after National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang declared that body-worn cameras are “of very little value” in homicide incidents involving the police.

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), in its second quarterly report for 2024, revealed that no body-worn camera was activated in the 252 police shooting incidents recorded this year.

The oversight body said it has seen footage from body-worn cameras in police traffic duty, assault matters, one case of police shooting after the weapon was discharged but before pre-planned operations and fugitive apprehensions.

It warned that the failure to activate body-worn cameras during police operations not only undermines accountability, but also deepens public mistrust in law enforcement.

INCONSEQUENTIAL

However, addressing yesterday’s post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew, Chang, who was responding to questions from The Gleaner about the concerns of the agency charged to hold the security forces accountable, said the use of body-worn cameras in such instances is inconsequential.

“It (a body-worn camera) is of very little value. You don’t need to be an expert to understand ... you put a camera on your chest, you start shooting at somebody, they start shooting at you, you going to dive for cover,” he said.

He said the “primary benefit” of body-worn cameras is the maintenance of public order such as its use in the apprehension of street vendors.

The minister stated that the Jamaica Defence Force has used cameras on their helmets, but “they fell off, they got knocked off, and they have very little value in those situations”.

If these cases are frequent, then Clayton believes the JCF “may have ordered the wrong type of cameras” as “they should not be falling off in use”.

He noted that evidence provided by body-worn cameras has proved essential in high-profile cases in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Clayton stressed that police officers may enter situations that become volatile, and in instances like those, the camera may not be switched on.

However, in circumstances where police personnel know that they are going into a potentially violent confrontation, they should always switch on the camera.

He said failure to do this might raise questions about the police’s objectives.

“If you have a camera and you don’t switch it on, and you knew that you were going into a potential confrontation, then it’s going to raise that question. People will ask, ‘Did you deliberately not switch on the camera?’. You may have just forgotten, which is why it should be part of your training,” he said.

CRITICAL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY

In the meantime, INDECOM Commissioner Hugh Faulkner stated that body-worn cameras are critical to maintaining accountability and transparency in the police force and noted that they are now a routine tool for law-enforcement authorities globally.

“Locally, there are numerous instances of citizens and law-enforcement personnel, contradicting respective accounts of law enforcement involved narratives. Such scenarios unfailingly erode public trust and confidence in those who swear to protect. In fact, the use of technology to capture incidents may cause an officer to think twice as he contemplates his actions,” he said.

He said the footage derived from the equipment can be relied on by the law-enforcement officer to verify or corroborate the legitimacy of his/her conduct. Alternatively, conduct inconsistent with policy, Force Orders, and legislation will be evident and supports any disciplinary, civil, or criminal infraction. Likewise, a citizen whose conduct departs from legality is identified.

He said INDECOM has recorded an increase in security force fatal shootings over the past four calendar years. Last year, there were 155 fatal shootings involving the security forces.

Further, he stated that the deployment of body-worn cameras would significantly enhance the objectivity, impartiality, and independent investigation by an oversight body, “in instances where the sole potential civilian witness is dead or such witness or complainant is alive but labouring under mental health issues”

He added: “The process of justice is thus bolstered, while providing an unbroken account unaided by human bias when body-worn cameras are engaged.”

Leonard Brown, assistant commissioner of police in charge of technology, told The Gleaner in November last year that the police are in the process of procuring 1,000 body-worn cameras, which should have been available by March of this year.

He also noted that 534 body-worn cameras have been deployed across 20 locations islandwide.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com