A body worn camera (BWC) system is now being piloted in garda divisions in Limerick and Dublin. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris acknowledged that rogue gardaí might potentially exploit this technology, reports Breaking News.
In addition, Commissioner Harris forewarned Garda personnel that sharing or leaking video of situations recorded on Garda BWCs might result in their termination from the force and possible criminal prosecution.
Mr. Harris issued a warning to the gardaí, saying: “If someone truly wants to act against our rules, instructions, and even our discipline code, then on their head be it. An investigating member obviously has to review the footage in terms of (preparing) a file.”
According to Commissioner Harris, the BWC system is “secure” and unchangeable. He did concede, though, that Garda personnel would be able to capture the video from a third-party screen—like a cell phone—and distribute it to others, reports Breaking News.
Although Commissioner Harris acknowledged that there are protections in place to try to prevent gardas or civilians from directly recording footage from the BWC, he acknowledged that it is still possible for someone “to take a recording (of the footage) is exceptionally limited.”
At the BWC system launch on Thursday in the Limerick Gardaí Division, Mr. Harris told reporters, “They would, in effect, have to be recording it from a screen during a playback session, and that in effect then would be regarded very seriously, a breach of privacy, and in certain circumstances, it would have to be regarded as a complete breach of trust, and, in effect, gross misconduct.”
A breach of this nature “would be dealt with accordingly, and there may well also then be breaches of criminal law as well, we would regard that as a very serious matter,” Commissioner Harris added in a warning, reports Breaking News.
Any garda found to have disclosed BWC film outside would, according to the garda head, be guilty of a “complete breach of trust.”
Mr. Harris stated that there had been no instances of garda sharing or leaking BWC footage, despite the fact that the system has not yet been implemented nationally and is presently being tested to the tune of €3 million in Limerick, Dublin, and shortly to be in Waterford.
He added that over 30 people had been detained in Coolock as a result of recent riots, and that the BWCs worn by members of the Store Street Garda Station were particularly efficient in controlling and regulating “serious disorder,” reports Breaking News.
Built-in “audio” recordings on garda BWCs are just as crucial as video footage as they may give gardai crucial proof “about what’s been said, and the intent of individuals,” according to the chief of the Garda department.
The Commissioner disclosed that during the recent Coolock disturbances, gardaí had obtained “forty-eight pieces of evidential footage” from a single deployment of members.
In order to identify those “who may have committed offences and will subsequently be reported to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions),” this video is to be provided “as part of witness evidence, CCTV evidence,” reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
