- Police equipped with body cameras
Police officers in Thuringia can now attach body cameras to their uniforms during deployments. With the delivery of two cameras to officers of the State Police Inspectorate Erfurt, the pilot phase for the use of these 'bodycams' has begun, as announced by the Ministry of the Interior. In the coming weeks, they will be gradually introduced throughout Thuringia. Initially, 422 devices will be provided for patrol officers, neighborhood police officers, and during police deployments. The state is renting these and extensive accessories from a camera manufacturer, with the rental costing around 700,000 euros for two years.
The small video cameras worn on the uniform record both video and audio whenever there is a threat to the life or limb of police officers or third parties during deployments. They are also to be used in the pursuit of criminals, during person and vehicle checks, and whenever the police have to use immediate force. The storage duration of the recordings is limited to a maximum of 30 days, with irrelevant recordings for criminal prosecution to be deleted after 48 hours.
Minister: A strong piece of evidence
The use of this technology had been debated in Thuringia for years. From the perspective of Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD), the work of police officers will be made safer with body cameras. "Because in case of doubt, they now have the evidence for disputed situations on the memory card. And video and audio are a strong piece of evidence that is difficult to refute."
A trial operation with older cameras in two Erfurter inspection services began in mid-December. In January, the state put out a tender for the new technology. Offers were received from five companies, according to the ministry. Depending on demand, up to 1,211 of the video cameras could be deployed.
The announcement for the pilot phase of bodycam use in Thuringia was made by the Ministry of the Interior. In alignment with this, the new bodycams will be utilized by various police units across Thuringia, including patrol officers and neighborhood police officers.
