Pennelope Beckles-Robinson demands clear police body-camera policy amid concerns over fatal encounters

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles-Robinson has demanded a clear government policy on police body cameras, saying concerns about fatal police encounters require firm answers on their use.

She questioned references by the Prime Minister to the circumstances in which cameras should be worn, arguing that the Government needed to state its position clearly.

Beckles-Robinson said the Minister of Homeland Security had previously described existing cameras as defective and said their batteries lasted only 90 minutes. If that was the problem, she argued, the ministry should explain what replacement equipment it was procuring.

She pointed to a $20 million allocation for body cameras and asked for details of the proposed purchases.

Beckles-Robinson also cited 42 deaths in police-related incidents in 2024, saying relatives disputed 12 of them. Those figures were presented as her account.

She called for clarity on camera use following passage of the special zones of operation and home invasion legislation.

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