Criminals in the Mother City have been put on notice with the roll-out of body cameras for City of Cape Town cops.
The initiative was launched by Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, and Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis in Goodwood on Wednesday, as they demonstrated how the cams would be used to execute drug-related arrests and general law enforcement.
Hill-Lewis said the City will equip 800 officers with bodycams and install 290 in-vehicle dashboard mounted cameras, or “dashcams”, in this financial year.
The initiative comes with a R118 million price tag.
Smith said that digital evidence is vital in the prosecution of offenders, and they expect the cams to provide crucial footage to be used in court, ensuring a higher rate of successful convictions.
“Bodycams will also enhance officer safety by increasing situational awareness and serving as a deterrent to potential perpetrators of assault on officers,” Hill-Lewis explained.
“The cameras will also act as a safeguard for the public and City staff, particularly in situations where claims are made against officers, helping to maintain transparency and accountability thanks to independent footage that can be viewed in court.”
Smith added that as criminals now know that their actions are being recorded, attacks on officers are expected to decrease by 90%.
Last month Law Enforcement officer Zanikhaya Kwinana, 33, was gunned down in Nyanga while he and his colleagues were patrolling the area in a marked City vehicle.
The father of four, who was in the passenger seat when they came under attack, suffered gunshot wounds to the head and was declared dead on arrival at Heideveld Day Hospital.