QC cops to get 800 body cameras

MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) is set to receive at least 800 body cameras this quarter as part of the city government’s local police modernization program.

Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, QCPD director, said the acquisition of the body cameras will be under the more than P200-million budget allotted for the modernization of its communication and command centers in the city.

Eleazar said Quezon City is the first local government unit in the country that has promised to shoulder the expenses for the acquisition of body cameras for the local police force.

“This program is most welcome. Magandang project talaga to (This is a good project) for the peace and order situation in the city,” he said.

Eleazar said they have been in talks for the modernization program since December last year after they submitted a “wish list” to the local government.

City Mayor Herbert Bautista said he is not privy to the details of the project if the procurement process has already started but assured that there is a budget allocated for it.

“We believe that the QCPD is a vital partner of the QC government to promote and enforce peace and order to ensure that the city is a destination for investments and tourists, domestic, and foreign in the era of globalization,” he said in a text message.

The QCPD chief said they are already crafting the terms of reference for the acquisition of the body cameras as well as the communication systems for its tactical operations centers, set to be installed in the district headquarters and the 12 police stations.

The city government has also allotted P12 million to establish a Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime satellite office in the district, the unit Eleazar used to head prior to his appointment as QCPD chief.

Bautista on November vetoed an ordinance that requires the installation of dashboard cameras in mobile patrol units of the QCPD as it “failed to prescribe the minimum standards or specifications.”

He also said in his veto letter that the ordinance failed to comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012.