Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa and Minister for Home Affairs Byron Camilleri announced that the Police Force will start using body cams.

"The effectiveness of police work all lies in the respect and trust they have within the community", Gafa said during a press conference.

The main aim for the Police Commissioner and the whole police department is to improve people's trust in them and in the service they provide.

Gafa made reference to a recent Eurobarometer survey which states that the majority of the Maltese public trust the police. "The 4% increase in police trust is a sign that the important work we are continually conducting is proving to be effective" Gafa said.

The introduction of body cams will only improve this rating, he added and "the concept of transparency and accountability is at the heart of this project".

Gafa then went through the various benefits the use of body cams will have on the everyday situations. "Research shows that the benefits of body warn cameras include the reduction of reports against police officers, better evidence gathering, an increase in rightfully guilty verdicts, accountability for the police officers and the citizens as well as transparency in all interactions with the public."

Gafa revealed that 500 body cams were bought as part of an investment of around €1 million. Officers were trained in using the apparatus.

"An internal policy was drafted in order to inform officers when they are to make use of the body cams as well as how to operate them", Gafa said.

Body cams are to be activated in every interaction with the public that a police officer would have, Gafa said. "This can vary from someone speaking to a police officer about a crime, to a police officer helping an individual whose car is stranded on the side of the road."

The way the body cam works is such that, when a police officer enters the workplace, as soon as he or she scans their new police identity card, a camera is assigned to that officer and everything is recorded on the server.

The camera is then constantly recording two minute buffer clips which are instantly deleted and restarted.

Apart from this buffer feature, other features include the automatic activation of a camera when a gun or taser is drawn by the officer as well as when another body cam has been activated in a 30 meter radius.

A hurdle which this project had to surpass was data protection laws. Gafa explained that the police can record footage during certain scenarios, but the footage will be automatically deleted from the servers if it is not used within 90 days of that footage being recorded.

Gafa said that the police officers wearing the body cams will never have access to the footage unless that footage is needed by the officer for a court case or anything of the sort. "These body cams will contribute to more legitimacy, more accountability and more transparency in the police force".

Minister Camilleri said that "the Maltese people have every right to expect the highest of standards from the Police Force and we have the obligation to provide that standard to the best of our ability."

Photos Giuseppe Attard