LAHORE: Punjab has rolled out body-worn cameras for various law enforcement bodies in the province on Tuesday with the project being initially launched in Lahore aimed at ‘strengthen accountability, improve public safety and modernise policing’.
The project is being launched on the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, with trained police personnel now ready to use the cameras in the field.
Installation of docking stations at police stations hasalso begun.
The cameras will be worn by the on-duty personnel of the Punjab Police, Punjab Highway Patrol, Dolphin Force and Traffic Wardens.
They will be linked to the Smart Safe City systems operating in 43 cities across the province, allowing live monitoring through district Safe City control rooms.
Equipped with digital facial recognition, the cameras can help identify suspects and automatically read motorcycle and vehicle number plates.
Theycanalsogenerateinstant threat alerts in emergencies.
The devices provide policepersonnel with audio and video recording, photography and calling facilities, while built-in memory allows recordings to be stored during duty.
Officers will be required to return the cameras to designated docking stations after completing their shifts.
Recorded data will then be automatically transferred from the devices and securely stored.
The cameras also feature push-to-talk, enabling officers to communicate directly with control rooms, and an SOS button for emergency alerts.
According to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, ‘the system will strengthen police monitoring and help curb corruption. Ensuring asense of security among the public, particularly vulnerable segments, is the real measure of success.
She said protecting the lives and property of every individual in Punjab was the government’s foremost responsibility.