Soon, police officers in the State will wear body cameras while on patrol.
Top officers claim the device will deter police misconduct while engaging with the public. The officers will wear them on their shirts. The State police had come under scathing criticism on Tuesday after two “overzealous” policewomen on patrol adopted a “self-righteously moralistic” approach to a young couple inside the sprawling museum botanical garden grounds in the capital.
The youth countered the “priggish” accusations of sexual deviance “hurled” at them by the police and broadcast the interaction live on Facebook.
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The video went viral, drawing public attention. It prompted State Police Chief Loknath Behera to order an inquiry into the incident.
Mr. Behera observed in an FB post that public display of affection within universally accepted standards of social behaviour was not a crime.
The incident had forcefully demonstrated the power mobile phone users had at their fingertips to publicly hold boorish law enforcers to account.
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Top police officers on Thursday also took into account what they described as the adverse effect such unflattering videos had on officers. They said many officers have of late displayed a growing reluctance to confront suspects on the street for fear of ending up on viral videos.
As confidence booster
The officials felt that the body cameras will boost the confidence of officers on patrol and also help ensure the level of police accountability the public demanded. However, questions remain about the right to privacy of citizens caught on police camera. There is concern on how the footage will be used, how long will it be stored and who will have access to it.
There is also fear that the police may selectively record street interactions to suit their narrative.
The police say a protocol will be evolved to address the concerns.
For one, officers will warn the public before they engage the cameras. State Police Chief Loknath Behera is supervising the scheme.