Griffith Backs Mandatory Body Cameras, Blasts Five-Year Delay Under Successive Commissioners

Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith has backed Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s move to require police officers operating in Zones of Special Operations to wear body cameras, while questioning why the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has not expanded their use in recent years.

In a video posted to Instagram on September 17, Griffith described the body-camera requirement as one of the most positive developments surrounding the proposed Special Operations legislation.

His comments come as the Government prepares to return the revised Zones of Special Operations Bill to Parliament, with the Prime Minister saying officers operating in special zones will be required to wear body-worn cameras as part of safeguards surrounding police operations.

Griffith said body cameras could address concerns surrounding police accountability, alleged abuse of authority and wrongful arrests, while also protecting officers against false accusations.

He questioned why the Prime Minister, as a civilian and chair of the National Security Council, had to direct that officers wear the devices. Griffith also criticised successive police commissioners, arguing that the service should have acquired and deployed additional cameras during the five years since his tenure ended.

The former commissioner defended the body cameras acquired while he headed the TTPS, saying the devices were suitable for frontline policing. Griffith has previously said approximately 1,200 cameras were procured during his tenure and that officers were required to sign for and use them while conducting patrols and operations.

However, current Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro has publicly disputed Griffith’s account of the programme. Guevarro has raised concerns about the contracts under which the cameras were acquired and has said some devices could no longer be used after contractual arrangements ended, while another batch lacked the necessary management platform.

Griffith rejected concerns that officers being able to switch cameras on and off made the devices unsuitable. He argued there are legitimate circumstances in which recording may need to be stopped, including sensitive situations involving children, domestic violence or confidential informants.

He said a standard operating procedure governing the cameras had been established during his tenure and expressed hope that the current commissioner would implement the mandatory requirement announced by the Prime Minister.

Griffith also argued that greater use of body cameras could help rebuild public confidence in the police. He has previously claimed confidence in the TTPS reached 59 per cent during his tenure and cited a more recent survey placing it at eight per cent.

For Griffith, the issue goes beyond recording police encounters. He maintains that body cameras can provide evidence of what occurred during interactions between officers and members of the public, creating greater accountability for both sides.

Article and image source: instagram.com