>The use of bodycams by police officers was not regulated by law until now. On Saturday, a new legal framework for this tool came into force, which is hoped will combat violence by and against police.
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>Since 2018, the use of bodycams by police was covered by the law on dashcams. Since then, several police officers have been equipped with this gadget, and the first results showed that they have a de-escalating effect and conflicts are more quickly defused because people know they are being filmed.
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>However, its use was not yet regulated by law, resulting in legal uncertainties, including the use of the images as evidence during a trial. Different police zones used different rules. This all changes on Saturday, when a new law comes into force, entrenching the use of bodycams as an important working tool.
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>”The police must be able to use modern tools daily. Bodycams help to de-escalate violence, gather more evidence, put interventions in their real context and ensure transparency of police action,” said Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt.
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>”With this law, we are providing the right framework so that that police can use bodycams transparently and with full legal certainty can use bodycams. This benefits not only police work but also citizens. Everyone benefits from objective images.”
Can a citizen use those bodycams as proof? Or is it solely for cops to cover their own asses?
2 comments
>The use of bodycams by police officers was not regulated by law until now. On Saturday, a new legal framework for this tool came into force, which is hoped will combat violence by and against police.
>
>Since 2018, the use of bodycams by police was covered by the law on dashcams. Since then, several police officers have been equipped with this gadget, and the first results showed that they have a de-escalating effect and conflicts are more quickly defused because people know they are being filmed.
>
>However, its use was not yet regulated by law, resulting in legal uncertainties, including the use of the images as evidence during a trial. Different police zones used different rules. This all changes on Saturday, when a new law comes into force, entrenching the use of bodycams as an important working tool.
>
>”The police must be able to use modern tools daily. Bodycams help to de-escalate violence, gather more evidence, put interventions in their real context and ensure transparency of police action,” said Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt.
>
>”With this law, we are providing the right framework so that that police can use bodycams transparently and with full legal certainty can use bodycams. This benefits not only police work but also citizens. Everyone benefits from objective images.”
Can a citizen use those bodycams as proof? Or is it solely for cops to cover their own asses?
Just a genuine question.