MANILA, Philippines — Police officers across the country will soon use artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled body cameras which are now pending for procurement, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Thursday.
Remulla discussed the Philippine National Police’s operational status on using body-worn cameras when Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co asked about it during the During the House committee on appropriations’ briefing on the proposed budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government
Remulla said the body-worn cameras currently used by police officers in their operations are already “obsolete” since these were purchased years back.
“We are already in the process of it bidded out and purchased within this year so that a more AI-capable and more responsive fair system body cameras will be used by the police force,” Remulla said.
According to Remulla, there are only around 2,000 body-worn cameras available for 320,000 police officers across the country. He said officers still wear their cameras during operations, but it is “not up to the industry standard that we have known.”
With this, around 10,000 to 20,000 new body-worn cameras are now being purchased this year and will be augmented every year.
Co then asked Remulla of the difference of the old cameras to the new body-worn cameras.
“The body cam has a superior lens and superior capacity so it can be decoded by AI better. The previous cameras were 1 megapixel which were totally out of standard and they were purchased a few years back and not caught up with the new technology,” he explained.
“But the new ones we are procuring will be of sufficient quality that will be AI-enabled already,” he added.
Based on the Supreme Court's June 29, 2021 Administrative Matter 21-06-08, law enforcement officers are required to use at least one body-worn camera and one alternative recording device in implementing search and arrest warrants.
