Dear Editor: Gov’t must clamp down on police refusal to use bodycams, especially in current climate

“[…] When police officers disobey direct orders from superiors to wear body cameras, it is a serious breach of protocol and accountability.

“[…] Police hierarchy should disclose when and why officers fail to wear body cams, especially during use-of-force incidents…”

The following Letter to the Editor on the importance of body cameras by law enforcement officers, particularly in the ‘stand your ground’ era, was submitted to Wired868 by Orson Rogers of Belmont:

When police officers disobey direct orders from superiors to wear body cameras, it is a serious breach of protocol and accountability.

I believe that appropriate actions should be taken to address the misconduct.

This may include internal disciplinary measures such as a written warning or reprimand for first-time or minor offences, suspension or loss of pay for repeated or willful noncompliance, and termination for persistent refusal, especially if linked to incidents of misconduct or excessive force.

Now that we have a new “stand your ground” government in place and a new minister of security, is it too much to expect a clear enforcement policy where departments must have clearly written policies on body cam usage?

This would include outlined consequences for violations, and officers should sign acknowledgements of these policies during training and periodically thereafter.

The issue of public transparency is paramount, and police hierarchy should disclose when and why officers fail to wear body cams, especially during use-of-force incidents.

And civilian review boards or oversight commissions should be empowered to investigate noncompliance. Transparency in the process boosts public trust.

Ultimately, noncompliance should never be tolerated, as it undermines transparency, accountability, and public trust—three pillars of ethical policing.

More from Wired868

Dear Editor: PM had enough time to study PNM mistakes—now give us budget where everybody wins

“[…] Please do not incur excessive debt to fulfil campaign promises or popular votes. Continuous deficit financing and public debt Read more

St Louis: PNM’s post-election confession betrays T&T’s cyclical governance issues

When in government, the People’s National Movement (PNM) speaks with the certainty of authority—decisions are made, policies defended, and dissent Read more

Devaluation: the good, the bad and the public debt—why T&T needs careful analysis, not noise

“[…] Basic economic theory does not always manifest in practice—in fact, it rarely does. To understand if or by how Read more

Dear Editor: Indarsingh’s appointment as Industrial Court judge should spark national concern

“[…] The Industrial Court wields quasi-constitutional powers in employment matters. It issues binding decisions affecting the rights of workers, unions, and employers. Read more

Dear Editor: It’s disturbing that PM cheers on US claim of extrajudicial killing

“[…] The fact that our Prime Minister would openly applaud extrajudicial killings as a solution to drug trafficking was troubling to Read more

Dear Editor: Jury duty in T&T feels like the apex of indignity

“[…] The morning began with a scene of casual dehumanisation. We were herded like livestock into the entrance of the Read more

Letters to the Editor

Want to share your thoughts with Wired868? Email us at editor@wired868.com.
Please keep your letter between 300 to 600 words and be sure to read it over first for typos and punctuation.
We don’t publish anonymously unless there is a good reason, such as an obvious threat of harassment or job loss.