Gardaí in Cork to wear body cameras by start of 2025

Gardaí in Cork are expected to have body worn cameras (BWCs) by the start of the new year, the head of policing in the city has said.

Garda Chief Superintendent Tom Myers, who is in charge of policing in the Cork City Division, told The Echo he was hopeful that the technology would be worn by gardaí in the city “by the end of the year in Cork, certainly by the start of 2025”.

It comes as An Garda Síochána yesterday began the second phase of its “proof of concept” of BWCs, with 100 gardaí in Henry Street Garda Station in Limerick equipped and fully trained in the use of the technology.

BWCs have already been trialled in three stations in Dublin over the past two months, with another station in Waterford due to begin using them next month.

However, the new BWCs being trialled in Limerick differ from those used initially in Dublin, as they have a screen showing what is being recorded once activated.

Chief Supt Myers said it was his belief that the cameras would help to de-escalate some situations involving gardaí.

“The ideal purpose of the body worn camera is to de-escalate a situation, because it gives the garda member an opportunity to press a button and record what’s going on,” he said.

He said that gardaí have been “intimidated with mobile phones in their faces and getting abuse”, but he felt the knowledge that they too are being recorded might give some people pause for thought.

“I know the camera doesn’t lie but it doesn’t tell you what happened in the build-up to what happened,” Chief Supt Myers said, adding that BWCs would be of great benefit to gardaí in Cork.

“We’re looking forward to it, we’ve been crying out for it for a long time, and now it’s coming down the tracks and it’s coming to us very soon and it should hopefully de-escalate some issues that might arise.” 

The cameras introduced in Limerick have a 120-degree field of vision, with the capability to record up to 12 hours of footage.

Speaking at the launch, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the effectiveness of the cameras had already been noted in the Dublin stations during the initial phase of the scheme.

“Personnel have noted situations which might ordinarily escalate, have actually de-escalated due to the presence of a garda with a body worn camera,” he said.

When complete, the three-phased pilot will inform the introduction of body worn cameras in garda stations nationwide.