Kerala cops to wear body cams to improve security when on patrol

The cameras boast of live streaming facilities, a 4G SIM to transfer data and infra-red to enable night vision.

The Kerala police is all set to sport high-tech cameras as part of its uniform in a bid to improve security measures in the state.

The cameras here handed over to select officials by State Director-General of Police, Loknath Behera, on Friday.

In the first phase of the project, the camera will be used to control traffic effectively. As of now, these cameras have been handed over to officers in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram only. The rest of the state will benefit from this technology in the later phases of the project.

The camera is equipped with the latest technology, and boasts of attractive features such as live streaming and broadcast facilities. The visuals can also be monitored by officials in the Police Control Room.

“We can record the official’s activities using these cameras. This can avoid unwanted confusion and controversies later. It can keep a check on the official’s behaviour and conduct during vehicle checks, and law and order maintenance. The project will be implemented across the state in the next three months,” said Behera.

The key features of the camera includes a touchscreen that allows the officials to send messages and pictures. It is also has infra-red facilities for better night vision, eight hours of battery back-up and 32 GB inbound memory. The recorded visuals and audio can be transferred to the control room using a 4G SIM card.

The Kerala police is the third in the country to avail of this technology. The Delhi and Rajasthan police implemented this facility earlier.

V Suresh Kumar, Additional Commissioner Police, City Police Control Room, said, “A decoding unit has been set up at the PCR to enable the recorded footage to be downloaded onto the computer. So we will soon start using it during vehicle checking,”