The City of Cape Town has ordered 750 additional body-worn cameras, taking its planned fleet to 3,000 devices across Metro Police, Traffic and Law Enforcement.
The city currently has 2,250 body cameras in service. It has not given a delivery date for the new devices, saying they will be deployed in the near future.
Body-worn cameras are used to record interactions involving enforcement officers, support investigations and preserve evidence. The city said footage had been requested on more than 450 occasions for internal investigations or shared with the South African Police Service.
Vehicle-camera fleet also expanding
Cape Town currently operates 530 in-vehicle camera systems with automated number-plate recognition technology. A further 25 vehicle kits are on order.
According to the city, alerts generated by the systems have assisted officers in apprehending 452 suspects linked to suspicious vehicles or vehicles sought in criminal investigations.
The technology forms part of a wider municipal investment in enforcement tools, which also includes CCTV monitoring and digital systems used by officers in the field.
The city said the cameras improve evidence gathering and provide a record of interactions involving officers and members of the public. Recorded material remains subject to legal and internal controls governing access and use.
The announcement follows continuing debate about officer accountability and the use of technology in policing. Cape Town’s municipal enforcement services operate separately from SAPS but work with national police in investigations and joint operations.
