Zimbabwe police deploys body cameras to its officers nationwide

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has begun issuing body-worn cameras to officers across the country as part of efforts to modernise policing and strengthen accountability.

The development follows the recent introduction of the Smart Traffic Enforcement System in Harare and Bulawayo, where several motorists have already been arrested for various traffic violations. The system marked the first major digital transformation of road policing this year, and the introduction of body cameras adds another layer of technology-driven enforcement.

Last week, police, working alongside the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), also announced the deployment of breathalysers and speed trap cameras on major highways. Authorities believe the combined use of new technologies will help reduce speeding, drunk driving and other road offences.

National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that body cameras have now been distributed to all provinces.

"Yes, the process has started. We have distributed the cameras to all the provinces and it's the prerogative of the Officer Commanding the province on how those cameras will be distributed in their provinces," he said.

Nyathi added that officers had already begun training on how to operate the devices, although the process is still ongoing.

"I must emphasise though that training is ongoing, there is no specific group of officers that will use these cameras so the process of training is still ongoing," he said.

Body-worn cameras are compact recording devices used by law enforcement to capture audio and video during engagements with the public. Their introduction is expected to improve transparency, strengthen evidence collection and curb misconduct by both police officers and members of the public.

The rollout marks another step in the police service's shift towards technology-driven accountability and road safety enforcement.