A program for the acquisition of portable cameras for individual use by police officers will be presented today, with the Government counting on acquiring around 10,000 'bodycams' in stages until 2026.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI), the investment of five million euros for the acquisition of portable cameras for individual use by the security forces will have two phases. The acquisition of the 'bodycams' will only happen after the conclusion of the public tender launched this week for the purchase of the Unified Video Systems Security Platform.
This platform will have as requirements the ability to centrally manage all types of technology associated with video surveillance equipment, namely 'bodycams' and municipal video surveillance systems, as well as connection to remote systems installed in nightlife establishments and commercial/shopping centres.
The Ministry, supervised by José Luís Carneiro, estimates that the tender for the Unified Video Systems Security Platform, worth 1.48 million euros (without VAT), will be concluded in mid-August this year, if there are no “requests for extension of the deadlines for the delivery of proposals or challenges of an administrative and/or judicial nature”. Acquisition of the 10,000 'bodycams' to equip the elements of the PSP and GNR with then follow, with completion of the program expected by 2026.
The MAI states that, “in addition to the tender for the Unified Video Systems Security Platform, necessary for the entire system to be operational, there follows another tender worth approximately 750,000 euros for the acquisition of computing services and safeguarding data".
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, these two competitions are funded by the Recovery and Resilience Program.
The decree-law that regulates the use of portable cameras for individual use by police officers was published in January.
