More than 1,000 body cameras for the work of police officers
Authorities of the Ministry of the Interior, headed by its owner, Luis Alberto Heber, presented a new batch of police equipment on Tuesday the 1st. With the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the portfolio invested some $350,000 in 1,100 cameras and 167 tablets, which will be distributed throughout the country. During this administration, the number of cameras increased by 21% and the number of tablets by 166.7%.
Heber was accompanied at the presentation, held this Wednesday the 1st at the National Directorate of Police Assistance and Social Security, the Undersecretary of the Interior, Guillermo Maciel; the director of the National Police, Diego Fernández; the director of Coexistence and Citizen Security, Santiago González, and the head of the Montevideo Police Headquarters, Mario D’Elía.
Teams for the whole country
In statements to the press, D’Elía explained that the equipment, purchased with support from the IDB, will be distributed throughout the country. With this incorporation, the ministry reaches a total of 3,200 cameras.
The tablets will be in the patrol cars and will be used to take complaints. The hierarch pointed out that this incorporation will benefit the victims of crimes, since it will not be necessary for them to go to a police station to report. It will also allow the entity to improve research.
On the other hand, from the ministry it is intended that each patrol and each investigation unit have a body camera, in order to support police action, which represents a guarantee for the citizen and for the police, D’Elía specified.
In addition, the hierarch indicated that the cameras, placed on the front of the uniform of the police force, will provide a “first image” to the prosecutor’s office, a film record that will be part of the investigation and evidence of crime.
Currently, 80% of Montevideo’s patrol boats have a tablet on board, and with this item 100% of the capital’s fleet would be equipped, said D’Elía.
In March 2020, the ministry had 1,480 operational tablets throughout the country and currently has 1,905, 28.7% more. If the records between 2022 and 2019 are compared, a growth of 21% is observed
Regarding body cameras, in March 2020 there were 1,200 and in three years of management 2,000 were purchased, with which the increase is 166.7%.
