Police bodycams

Punjab Police body cameras aim for transparency, but execution will decide impact

Road rage is no longer an aberration on Punjab's streets but a routine. Minor traffic disputes now escalate into violent altercations, with firearms brandished over right-of-way arguments and videos of roadside aggression circulating almost daily.

In such a combustible environment, the conduct and credibility of the police matter more than ever. Punjab Police's decision to equip personnel with body cameras under the 'Fast, Fearless, Transparent Justice' initiative is therefore both timely and necessary.

On paper, the reform package appears comprehensive. Body cameras for police and traffic officials, along with panic buttons outside police stations, signal an attempt to institutionalise transparency. The intent is difficult to fault. The challenge lies in execution. Pakistan's reform history is littered with well-announced initiatives that faltered once media attention faded.

Body cameras can deter misconduct and protect officers from false accusations, but only if they are consistently operational. Who will ensure they are switched on during critical encounters? What safeguards will prevent selective recording or convenient "technical failures"?

Without strict audit protocols and tamper-proof storage systems, the cameras may be treated as ornamental rather than transformational. Similarly, complaint mechanisms are only as credible as the consequences they produce. The 1787 helpline and digital dashboards promise responsiveness.

But will officers accused of abuse face visible disciplinary action, or will the familiar practice of quiet transfers continue? A change in tone must be matched by a change in temperament and backed by enforceable standards. It must be institutionalised through systems that function irrespective of personalities.

In such circumstances, the police must be seen not as an additional source of fear, but as a stabilising force governed by law and restraint. If implemented rigorously, this initiative could mark a genuine shift in policing culture.