Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision of a Safe Punjab envisages effective and transparent policing, and for the first time, body-worn cameras have been introduced for the police field force across the province.
On the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, training of the police field force for the use of body-worn cameras across Punjab 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 body-worn cameras will be connected with Smart Safe City systems established in 43 cities across the province. 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 devices. During duty, recordings will also be stored in the cameras’ built-in memory.
After completing their duty, police personnel will place the body-worn 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 body-worn 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.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said the body-worn 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.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif said protection of the life and property of every individual in Punjab was the foremost responsibility of the government.
