Kerre Woodham: What's the hold up with giving police bodycams?

Author: Kerre Woodham ,
Publish Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2026, 12:32pm

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I cannot understand it. We have had eight years of discussion, debate, market research, investigation, draft reviews, proposed market trials, and still our police don't have bodycams. Our Corrections Officers have bodycams, they've had them since 2015. The security guard at your local mall has a bodycam. Every hoer with a mobile phone has a recording camera, and still our police officers don't have bodycams.

Most police forces around the world have them, apart from municipal and national police organisations across developing regions in parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and New Zealand. They don't have body worn cameras due to budgetary constraints and infrastructure limitations, and apparently, we're with them. We're with parts of Africa and Latin America, budgetary constraints and infrastructure limitations. According to the stories I've read on this, a bodycam, along with the storage that you'd need and the technological backup, varies from $1,500 to $3,000. We have 10,000 sworn police officers who would need them, give or take the odd constable. That is not, I mean, I think Tauranga City Council paid more for their coffee machine, didn't they? I might be incorrect, but it doesn't seem like a huge constraint or hurdle for the police to clear.

Despite Commissioner Richard Chambers tasking officials with exploring options for equipping frontline officers with body cameras as a priority last year after six years of exploration, reviews, trials, discussions. Fast forward to this year, a year later, having been told to see it as a priority, we're no further ahead. No decisions have been made, and Police could give no confirmation of timeframes. What on earth is the hold up?

We're not inventing the wheel here. As I say our security guards have them, Corrections have had them for more than 10 years. There appears to be a willingness on the part of the Police hierarchy and on the part of the Police Association to have them. There appears to be a willingness from politicians across the political spectrum to equip our police with bodycams. The Police Association says its members are fully in support of body worn cameras because of the benefits they produce for their members and for the public.

A study on the benefits following the introduction of body cameras saw complaints against police officers drop by 16% in one overseas jurisdiction. NZPA President Steve Watt says essentially, they're a de-escalation tool and that's how Corrections have seen them and seen the results as well, a de-escalation. The cameras improve safety for police and the public, were an evidence gathering tool, and helped with training and provided greater transparency. What on earth is the hold up? Bring them on.