The body-worn cameras that were procured to ensure transparency in the conduct of police operations are night-vision capable with an object detection range of up to 10 meters in the dark, a top police official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) disclosed on Saturday, June 5.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said the auto-night vision mode of the body cameras can distinctly distinguish several objects even with dark background.
"Some of our operations are conducted during nighttime and this was factored in during the deliberation for the procurement," said Eleazar.
He said the BWCs are also water-proof and could record both audio and video for at least eight hours of continuous operation.
The PNP bought a total of 2,696 BWCs through a Congressional allocation. These were distributed to 170 police stations composed of 20 Police Offices in large cities of the country, 108 City Police Stations, five Police District of the National Capital Region Police Office, 15 City and Municipal Stations in Metro Manila which include 23 Numbered Police Stations.
At least 30,000 more body cameras are needed to cover all the police stations and units in various parts of the country, according to Eleazar.
He said there is already a plan to buy more in the coming years which would be distributed not only to the remaining city and municipal police stations but also units of the Mobile Force Battalions and the National Operating Support Units like the Special Action Force.