Osmeña willing to give body cameras to police

CEBU, Philippines — Once he sees the efficiency of using body cameras, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the city government will be donating more units to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

The mayor said he is willing to donate body cameras and other equipment to the police force, as long as he sees that the change is working in favor of the police.

“We will extend anything that is effective, period.  Body cameras or signal light or no parking or whatsoever it is.  And, if it is effective, we will propose it,” he said.

Osmeña said he won’t mind if the city will be spending for the 300 body cameras that will be given to the police unit, as well as giving some also to the traffic enforcers, so long as it will be effective in recording their daily operations.

Last Tuesday, the CCPO received six body cameras that a private company had donated.

CCPO Director Joel Doria said the donation would help dispel suspicions during police operations since all the recordings taken by the cameras will be saved by the system called Guardian.

Doria said the cameras would be helpful not just in gaining public trust but that the recordings will also serve as pieces of evidence that the police are following the standard operating procedures.

He said the body cameras will be used by the City Drug Enforcement Unit, as this unit is considered as first responders.

The mayor said he does not mind spending the city’s funds for as long as he will see good results.

“Now is not the time to criticize.  You just try it.  Ako, I'll try anything and then you criticize after,” he said.

Osmeña said the police force should welcome change since it will not get better if they will not accept changes in their system.

Just like his philosophy, he said changing is necessary in improving the system.

“The problem is that when you make a change, there's a risk because it might not work. So, sometimes we have to change, unless we don’t like to get better,” he said.

Osmeña added the six body cameras are enough to test the innovation.

“I’m willing to spend for more than that because these cameras can also be a training module (which would show) what happened here.  You can show (it) to others,” he added.  —/GAN (FREEMAN)