PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali’s delivery of 5,000 body cameras to the Guyana Police Force is a milestone in our nation’s law-enforcement history, and it is one of the most significant steps toward actual police accountability and transparency in decades.

The President’s clear statement that there will be “no excuses” for officers without these devices is a welcome pledge to tackle the long-standing problem of unmonitored police interactions, which have at times eroded public trust.

This rollout on a mass level follows earlier, but smaller, rollouts that have already shown positive results. Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn has already stated that the use of body cameras has effectively reduced the number of instances of officers being attacked or disrupted in the course of duty.

Their technical spec is robust and does not leave much room for excuses to operate. With IP67 ratings that seal them, dust and waterproof to six feet, Wi-Fi streaming and 4G streaming functionality and a healthy storage capacity of 256 gigabytes, these devices are a serious investment in accountability infrastructure.

The extended battery life of up to 10 hours with the battery packs ensures that even for officers who have the longer shifts there will be reliable recording capacity. But the value is not so much in the technology, but the cultural shift. For far too long, law enforcement’s word has automatically taken precedence over that of citizens in contentious encounters.

These cameras introduce an unbiased third party to these meetings — a silent, impartial witness that neither distorts nor belittles the facts.

The government’s purchase of 500 more cameras in January, added to over 200 bought last year, demonstrated its growing seriousness about this programme. With 5,000 more units being added now, we’re seeing a comprehensive solution that can deliver coverage for a substantial number of active-duty officers.

This is significant, because partial roll out would bring about inconsistency in accountability, discrediting the very transparency that the programme is set to encourage. Commissioner Hicken’s warning to officers to remain on body-camera mode when interacting in public areas further bears testimony to the seriousness with which the force’s leadership is approaching this instrument of accountability.

What is particularly reassuring is how this initiative fits into a broader modernisation initiative. President Ali categorically averred that this is only one part of a more integrated initiative for digitising and enhancing law-enforcement capability, including roadside cameras scanning traffic that will have the capacity to detect traffic offences with minimal human involvement.

Minister Benn’s avowal that technology brings “certitude in delivering service” is a recognition of the limitations of human systems by themselves and an exhibition of practical appreciation for how to bridge the gap between police performance and public expectations. The connection of these cameras to the national monitoring system constitutes an integrated system, rather than a collection of individual technological leaps.

Yet we must not become complacent. Technology alone will not improve entrenched institutional problems. The President’s remark on training officers “in a service-oriented way” shows recognition that equipment must be followed by attitude and culture change.

Trust between citizens and the police cannot be established through technology only; it takes repeated displays of professionalism, respect, and accountability.

This decision to use the same camera technology for the Guyana Prison Service and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit is proof of an across-the-board approach to responsibility in our security complex.

Such a holistic approach suggests a serious commitment rather than a publicity stunt. In this sense, we must embrace this development while keeping our eyes open in insisting that the delivery is equal to the promise from our leaders.

The cameras are on-both literally and figuratively-and the days of unchecked police behaviour must really become a thing of the past if Guyana is going to achieve the level of trust and professionalism in law enforcement that our developing nation deserves.