Correctional Service begins use of body-worn cameras

Maldives Correctional Services have begun to use body-worn cameras today.

Correctional Services said that with the introduction of body-worn cameras, the safety of the officers will be guaranteed and many issues that arise in the detention of prisoners will be very easily solved. 

They have said that officers who work on the frontlines will use the cameras if they have any interactions with prisoners during official hours.

In addition, Correctional Services said this will make it much easier to obtain evidence and additional information needed for some cases.

“As a result, we can establish ways to ascertain the behaviour of prisoners, obtain evidence in cases that happen here, get information needed for rehabilitation, and get the information needed for intelligence purposes,” Correctional Services have said.

The main objective of the project is to make prison officials more responsible in the management of prisoners, to understand prison conditions and to strengthen the prison management system based on body camera data.

In the future, the Correctional Service will be able to livestream the movement of high-security prisoners from one place to another with the information gathered from the body-worn cameras.

Correctional noted that the footage and sounds recorded by the body-worn camera will be kept safe and secure without any chance of it being changed.

The service will initially start with 51 cameras. However, they have said that this number will be increased and any officer who has to deal with prisoners will be able to use the camera.

In addition, Correctional Service said that before the use of the cameras, there have been certain procedures set in place for the body-worn camera and the officers have been trained in them.

While Correctional Service has started using body-worn cameras today, Maldives Police Service incorporated this technology last year.