Body cams for cops to be implemented in the first quarter of 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Body-worn cameras (BWCs) are expected to be fitted on policemen in the first quarter of 2025, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

In a parliamentary written reply dated Oct 26, the Home Minister said the government had approved a RM30mil allocation for the procurement of BWCs under the 12th Malaysia Plan in 2021.

The procurement will be conducted through open tender and the project duration is 24 months.

“At this time, the ministry is conducting the procurement process,” he said.

“The Home Ministry’s Procurement Board is expected to hold a meeting on Nov 2023 and a Letter of Award (LOA) is expected to be issued in December 2023.”

“The police is expected to fully deploy the BWCs in the first quarter of 2025, after taking into account the entire supply process including testing, site visits, training and commissioning which is expected to go on from Jan 2024 and Dec 2024,” he said.

He was responding to a question by Lim Lip Eng (PH-Kepong) on whether the police uniform will be redesigned to make it more suitable for the hot and humid weather and why the use of BWCs have yet to be implemented.

On Feb 21, Saifuddin said each of the 7,648 body cameras that will be fitted on police personnel is estimated to cost between RM2,000 and RM2,500.

He said the BWCs would be fitted on officers across 157 district police headquarters nationwide.