The government of São Paulo launched on Wednesday (22/05) a bid to hire 12,000 new body cameras for the Military Police. The hiring will increase the number of equipment available to security agents by 18%. However, it has undergone significant changes to the system currently in force, from now on the recording of videos by the equipment must be carried out intentionally, that is, the police officer will be responsible for choosing whether or not to record an incident.
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New Features
According to the Public Security Secretariat (SSP-SP), the new cameras will perform facial recognition and read vehicle license plates. They will also have features such as improved connectivity, with the possibility of live broadcasting. The notice specifies the integration of the equipment with the Muralha Paulista Program, with the capacity to identify fugitives and license plates of robbed or stolen vehicles.
Chosen Battalions
The distribution of new equipment will have priority to battalions with a greater number of operations in extreme events, such as Rota (Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar) and Rocam (Rondas Ostensivas with Motorcycle Support).
Approved by Paulistas
The use of portable operational cameras (COPs) is supported by 88% of residents of the city of São Paulo, according to a Datafolha survey released in March this year. Eight out of ten respondents said that the equipment should be used by all agents and that the measure can help prevent violent actions.
Analysis:
The launch of the bidding by the government of São Paulo to contract 12,000 new body cameras for the Military Police brought significant changes to the model currently in operation. Public security experts point out that the new model could harm future investigations, by leaving the responsibility of turning on the equipment to police officers in the field.
Although the government has promised to add new features to body cameras, the notice is replacing some functions. The new cameras will lose essential attributes for monitoring the use of force, becoming merely operational instruments for the police.
Studies indicate that cameras that record uninterruptedly have a greater impact on reducing excessive use of force. Furthermore, research carried out by Fundação Getúlio Vargas, released in 2023, demonstrated that battalions of the São Paulo Military Police with body cameras had a 57% reduction in the number of deaths resulting from police intervention, without compromising the effectiveness of their work.
