Gardaí will wear body cameras in pilot projects within a year

Bodycams such as this one worn by an Italian policeman on duty in Rome may be introduced in Ireland. File picture: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty

Gardaí are to start trialling body-worn cameras within the next year in a number of pilot programmes.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee is expected to tell frontline garda supervisors today she hopes to see a full rollout of the technology in 2023.

The minister is due to address the annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) in Killarney this evening.

Body-worn cameras were recommended in the Policing Commission report of September 2018 and the then government-directed legislation in June 2019.

Garda associations support them, while civil rights groups are opposed.

The Policing Authority said the use of cameras must be transparent and subject to independent oversight.

Ms McEntee is expected to tell AGSI delegates that the cameras will benefit the investigation of crime — including domestic violence — protect members, and accurately record incidents.

A PSNI officer's body-worn camera in Derry City. File picture

The provisions were contained in the general scheme of the Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill 2021 published a year ago.

Ms McEntee will tell the conference that the final bill will be published next month and that she hopes it will be enacted later this year.

The legislation also provides for the legal use of drones by gardaí and contains provisions for extending the use of CCTV and automatic number plate recognition.

Garda management is expected to begin to engage with potential suppliers of body-worn camera shortly.

In its report last January on the draft laws, the Oireachtas justice committee said that Garda body-worn cameras should not use facial recognition technology and should not be used to racially profile people.

The committee further recommended strict guidelines on when gardaí activate and deactivate the devices.

Ms McEntee is also expected to address training for gardaí, following a motion put down by the AGSI Cork City branch calling on the Garda Commissioner “to review the suitability and continued use of online and remote learning” for training, upskilling, and continuous professional development for members.

It said the review should particularly examine the suitability of such training in relation to complex crimes such as money laundering and online fraud.

The Cork delegates want the AGSI national executive to advocate for a return to “physical in-person” classroom-type training for these types of offences.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris is unable to attend the conference as he is sitting on interview panels for assistant commissioner positions organised by the Policing Authority for this week.