The ongoing work on the 2024 Security Bill is progressing, and a breakthrough has finally been reached on the thorny issue of bodycams on the uniforms of law enforcement officers.
Nicola Molteni, Undersecretary of State for the Interior, has announced an amendment dedicated to the approval of wearable cameras “to protect law enforcement officers.”
As anticipated, however, there is no openness to the obligation of identification codes, considered “tools against the police forces.” The debate on the subject has been ongoing for years, and this confirmation has only fueled the controversies, especially regarding the protection of the public.
Nonetheless, the majority has not left room for replies, with the government strongly disagreeing with the European Parliament and the Council of Human Rights of the United Nations.
It is certain that bodycams will be introduced, benefiting both law enforcement and citizens, although this second point was not mentioned at all.
Recognizing that there are individuals within the police forces who abuse their authority does not mean disrespecting the hard work done for public safety.
It is not doubted that the majority of officers act with correctness and honesty, and in fact, this main segment of workers would benefit from more oversight.
The government has given the green light to the long-awaited amendment, which will see the obligation of bodycams on law enforcement uniforms in the new Security Bill.
After more than a decade of experimentation, bodycams became a reality for Italian law enforcement only in 2022, with the approval by the then Police Chief Lamberto Giannini of a significant number of devices.
Currently, about 1,000 police officers and 200 carabinieri use bodycams, numbers that are expected to increase with the new amendment.
As Undersecretary Molteni pointed out, they “never shy away from truth and transparency.”
However, it will take some time before this is implemented.
Firstly, the integration into the Security Bill must be discussed by the Constitutional Affairs and Justice Committees of the Chamber of Deputies, and for this, it will also be necessary to regulate its use while respecting the Privacy Guarantor’s guidelines.
The storage of videos and access to the archive must occur according to the law, respecting the rights of the filmed individuals without undermining the purpose of the tool.
Secondly, a tender will have to be issued for the supply of cameras, taking into account the intelligence recommendations regarding data protection.
This is to avoid what happened with devices purchased by the Ministry of the Interior under the Conte II government, which required external software for data management.
The approval of bodycams does not prevent the majority from categorically rejecting the inclusion of identification codes on uniforms, and the amendment proposed by Europa+ is rejected without concessions.
Undersecretary Molteni stated that this tool could be dangerous and expose law enforcement to pretextual complaints, for example, for personal retaliation.
Control measures of interactions between law enforcement and citizens are undoubtedly essential for both parties, but there seems to be something unconvincing in this narrative.
Identification codes would expose to the risk of complaints and slander in the absence of bodycams, but since these are almost certain, the issue seems to fade away.
Bodycam footage would allow officers to immediately prove their innocence and quash false accusations.
For this reason, cameras should already act as a strong deterrent against these behaviors, also acting preventively.
Furthermore, the government is working to ensure greater protection for law enforcement from these incidents, aiming to prevent consequences for workers prematurely.
On the other hand, the absence of identification codes undermines the possibility for citizens to protect themselves from abuses, which can still occur.
How to use bodycam content if it is not possible to identify the officer in any way? However, another element that has not received enough attention and better justifies the denial of identification codes should be considered.
It concerns the protection of law enforcement, not from pretextual complaints, but from possible reprisals, revenge, and intimidating acts that could follow.
Even if citizens do not know which identity corresponds to a certain identification number, it is reasonable to fear that some individuals could exploit it to criminally trace back to the police officer or carabiniere.
Strong guarantees need to be provided in this regard, with impeccable security systems, to eliminate any doubt.
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