Ensure that body cameras are in place by the end of 2016

In order to actively adapt to the requirements of standardized law enforcement, in recent years, national political and legal organs have taken the lead in deploying and implementing the use of body cameras. Local organs, adhering to the technological strategy and based on practical needs, have actively promoted the construction of audio-visual recording systems for law enforcement. Currently, body cameras have become an "essential tool" for frontline officers at the grassroots level in carrying out their duties and enforcing laws.

On May 27, the Ministry of Public Security held a national on-site promotion meeting on the construction of audio-visual recording systems for law enforcement, to remobilize and redeploy the acceleration of the construction and application of audio-visual recording systems for law enforcement. Wang Jian, member of the Party Committee and Assistant Minister, emphasized at the meeting that all levels of organs should fully understand the new requirements and challenges posed by the new situation and new tasks to law enforcement activities, accelerate the construction and application of audio-visual recording systems for law enforcement, and give full play to their role in guaranteeing, supporting, and regulating public security law enforcement activities, continuously improving the ability and level of law enforcement at the grassroots level.

Certain achievements have been made, but there are also problems that cannot be ignored.

Urgently implement the equipment requirements to ensure that body cameras are in place by the end of 2016.

Regarding the current construction and application of audio-visual recording systems for law enforcement, Jiang Sulin, deputy director of the Equipment and Finance Bureau, analyzed that in recent years, some local organs, combining local realities, have been brave in innovation and continuous exploration in the research and development, in-depth application, equipment use, and daily management of law enforcement recording systems, accumulating rich and valuable experience. Body cameras have played an increasingly important role in serving practical work, promoting standardized law enforcement, expanding basic information collection channels, and promoting changes in operational mechanisms. Although certain achievements have been made, the current construction and application of body cameras also have problems such as insufficient understanding of some organs, insufficient application level, and the urgent need to strengthen product quality supervision.

According to Sun Lili, director of the first department of the Equipment and Finance Bureau, there are currently 99 body camera manufacturers nationwide, with more than 160 product models. The manufacturers are "mixed", and the sales market is relatively chaotic. In addition, when the public safety industry standard "Law Enforcement Audio-Visual Recorder" was promulgated in 2011, due to the fact that the construction and application of body cameras were still in the initial exploration stage, no normative requirements were put forward for the background management system, leading to many places neglecting the supporting construction of the background management system.

Jiang Sulin revealed that the next step will be to expedite the revision of technical standards and quickly launch the work of standardization and equipment; to urgently implement equipment requirements, include body cameras in the scope of equipment, and ensure that body cameras are in place by the end of 2016; to improve management systems, strengthen training, and maintain equipment to ensure that grassroots police officers strictly wear and use them according to regulations; to actively promote innovative applications, improve the working mechanism for information collection and entry of body cameras, and promote the model of information collection service stations for body cameras; to strictly implement responsibilities and actively take effective measures to implement various construction and application requirements.

It will comprehensively standardize on-site law enforcement recording work.

The status of law enforcement recording work will be included in the scope of daily supervision and inspection and law enforcement quality evaluation.

Sun Mao Li, director of the Legal Affairs Bureau, believes that the organs' promotion of the use and management of body cameras and their systems is both in line with the spirit and requirements of comprehensively advancing the rule of law, and is also an important part of the rule of law construction. Sun Mao Li introduced that the Legal Affairs Bureau is currently drafting regulations on on-site audio-visual recording of law enforcement by public security organs to comprehensively standardize on-site law enforcement recording work.

Chen Min, director of the Criminal Law and Regulations Office of the Legal Affairs Bureau, introduced that many local organs and traffic management, border defense, and fire departments have issued special regulations to further standardize the use and management of body cameras. For example, provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) such as Beijing, Jilin, Henan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Ningxia, many cities such as Shijiazhuang, Harbin, Nanchang, and Jiaozuo, and many district and county-level organs have issued regulations on the use and management of body cameras. Traffic management departments started earlier in the use of body cameras, and various levels of traffic management departments, including the traffic management bureau, have not only issued regulations, but also vigorously promoted the use and management of body cameras through methods such as reporting on the use and equipment situation and holding special training courses.

Sun Mao Li said that the next step will be to urge local organs to strengthen the construction of on-site law enforcement audio-visual data management systems, and through strict and standardized management, to effectively play their role in standardizing law enforcement. At the same time, it is planned to include the status of law enforcement recording work, the standardized law enforcement situation reflected in audio-visual data, and the management and use of audio-visual data in the scope of daily supervision and inspection and law enforcement quality evaluation.

The audio-visual recording system for law enforcement has completed a series of standard development work.

The release and implementation of technical standards will solve most of the problems encountered in applications.

It is understood that body cameras, as a type of information equipment, have achieved good results in law enforcement practice, but there are also problems such as non-uniform system standards, non-standard applications, and inadequate management.

Li Jian, director of the Science and Technology Information Bureau, specifically analyzed that the "Law Enforcement Audio-Visual Recorder" was promulgated and implemented in 2011. This standard standardized the domestic body camera product market, promoted the improvement of equipment quality, and promoted the development of equipment towards efficient law enforcement with mobile information technology. However, with the deepening of the application of body cameras and the changes in technological development, the technical indicators required for body camera products by law enforcement work requirements have also gradually increased, and the use of body cameras has also been upgraded from the simple recording and storage of audio-visual data to the height of information applications such as data uploading, query, and comparison. The improvement of demand has created new problems in the application of body cameras, such as the lack of unified system standards, and the indicators stipulated in the original standard of body cameras are not suitable for new needs.

In 2013, "General Technical Requirements for Law Enforcement Audio-Visual Recording System Management" and "Data Interface Specification for Law Enforcement Audio-Visual Recorders" were included in the annual public safety industry standard revision and revision plan projects. During this period, transportation and fire departments also put forward internal technical documents such as equipment performance and background management system design reference points for body cameras. In 2014, the revision of "Law Enforcement Audio-Visual Recorder" was also included in the annual public safety industry standard revision and revision plan.

　　He said that based on the experience and practices of various places, the standard projects have been merged, and the preparation plan has been adjusted to a series of standards, named the Law Enforcement Audio-Visual Recording System. Currently, the preparation of the series of standards has been completed, including four parts: basic requirements, recorders, management platforms, and data interfaces. The draft of the standard has been prepared and will be promulgated and implemented soon. At that time, the release and implementation of technical standards will solve most of the problems encountered in applications.

■ Terminology

Law Enforcement Audio-Visual Recorder

A law enforcement audio-visual recorder, usually referred to as a body camera, is a technical equipment for evidence collection that is carried on the person during law enforcement and integrates real-time audio-visual recording, photography, and recording functions. It can record audio-visual data directly between law enforcement officers and those being enforced against.

Since 2007, law enforcement recording devices have been gradually promoted and applied by public security organs at all levels. In 2011, the public safety industry standard "Law Enforcement Audio-Visual Recorder" was implemented, standardizing the technical indicators and testing methods of law enforcement recorders, providing a technical basis for procurement and equipment in various places. In June 2012, the first batch of qualified law enforcement recorder products was announced, clearly requiring public security organs at all levels to earnestly implement industry technical standards and procure law enforcement recorders through bidding from among the tested and qualified products.

The practical application of law enforcement recorders has effectively promoted standardized, fair, and civilized law enforcement, and powerfully protected legitimate rights and interests. At the same time, it has also promoted the transformation of operational mechanisms. In some areas, the law enforcement recording system is organically connected with the video surveillance system, adding many new mobile high-definition cameras to the social sphere, making up for the blind spots in video surveillance, and further improving the pattern of case investigation through images and data. In some areas, law enforcement recorders are combined with mobile positioning and intercom communication equipment to achieve organic integration between road patrol forces and the command and dispatch system, pushing the command mode from simple voice dispatch to a visual, flat, and point-to-point direction.

Some areas have actively adapted to the requirements of public security informatization construction and explored the establishment of models such as "law enforcement recorder—data acquisition station—law enforcement recorder management system." This involves classifying and uploading audio-visual data collected by law enforcement recorders and storing them in the management system, greatly enriching basic public security information. Against the backdrop of the in-depth application of "big data," the further exploration and utilization of audio-visual data recorded by law enforcement recorders will have a significant impact on the agency's information analysis and other business work.

Law enforcement recorders have become essential tools for frontline law enforcement.

Grassroots Voices

Qi Tianxing, Tongshan Police Station, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province:

At the beginning of the promotion and use of law enforcement recorders, some people felt that it increased their workload and had resistance. However, after a period of time, we have personally felt that the use of law enforcement recorders not only standardizes grassroots law enforcement activities but also helps improve law enforcement standards, especially in protecting our own rights and interests, playing an irreplaceable role.

On February 11, a citizen complained through the government's "12345" hotline, claiming that during our police response on February 9, we illegally used pepper spray and injured the citizen. After receiving the complaint, the police discipline inspection department attached great importance to it and immediately organized an investigation. Because I directly participated in this police response, the discipline inspection department retrieved my audio-visual recordings of the police response and found no evidence of hitting the citizen, and the use of the tear gas spray was also within the reasonable and legal scope, clearing our names. The on-site audio and video recordings effectively prevented malicious and false complaints, greatly enhancing the confidence of grassroots law enforcement.

Law enforcement recorders have created an invisible supervision of our law enforcement process, playing the role of "silent supervision." The complete audio and video recording reminds me to always pay attention to my words and actions, consciously restraining my work attitude and behavior. Law enforcement recorders have become a booster for grassroots rational, peaceful, civilized, and standardized law enforcement, improving the satisfaction of the masses. Now, our attitude towards using law enforcement recorders has changed from "having to use them" to "wanting to use them."

Relevant Background

The revised Criminal Procedure Law has put forward higher requirements for the lawful collection and fixation of evidence. The Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Some Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Advancing the Rule of Law, adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, clearly proposes to promote the reform of the litigation system centered on trials, further strictly regulating the requirements for evidence collection, and establishing a system for recording the entire law enforcement process, promoting strict, standardized, just, and civilized law enforcement, and ensuring that case handling can withstand the test of law and history.

Since last year, the Party Committee has established a work approach of vigorously promoting the "four constructions" of basic informatization, practical police work, standardized law enforcement, and regularized teams, and has specifically made a decision to deepen the construction of standardized law enforcement and comprehensively build the rule of law. It requires organs at all levels to focus on the core of regulating the exercise of power, further building an efficient and strict law enforcement management and responsibility system, preventing and reducing the occurrence of law enforcement problems from the source; it requires the full use of on-site law enforcement recording equipment and other means to achieve a complete record of law enforcement activities, ensuring that all law enforcement activities are traceable and can be managed retrospectively, strengthening supervision and constraints on law enforcement activities.

In recent years, with the development of China's economy and society and the improvement of people's awareness of the rule of law, especially the rapid development of Internet new media and self-media, supervision of law enforcement activities by organs has become increasingly strengthened, and problems and flaws in the law enforcement process often become the focus of public attention, seriously affecting the image of organs. This has also forced organs to further standardize law enforcement behavior, strengthen law enforcement supervision, and promote law enforcement transparency, continuously improving the credibility of law enforcement.

In recent years, organs in various places have equipped frontline officers with law enforcement recorders to conduct synchronous audio-visual recording of law enforcement and duty work, which has increased the intensity of law enforcement supervision from the source, standardized law enforcement behavior, and effectively protected the legitimate rights and interests of the parties involved, achieving good social results.

However, compared with the requirements of comprehensively advancing the rule of law and building a law-abiding public security system, there are still problems in the current construction and application of law enforcement recorders, such as insufficient understanding among some public security organs, insufficient application level, and the urgent need to strengthen product quality supervision. On May 27, the Ministry of Public Security held a national on-site promotion meeting on the construction of law enforcement audio-visual recording systems in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province. The meeting summarized the construction and application of law enforcement recorders by organs nationwide in recent years and made further deployments on accelerating the construction and application of law enforcement audio-visual recording systems and actively promoting the construction of a law-abiding public security system.
Accelerating the Construction and Application of Law Enforcement Recording Systems

Strengthening and standardizing the use of law enforcement audio-visual recording systems is an objective requirement for building the rule of law, a powerful tool for vigorously promoting the "four constructions," and an important measure to further enhance the practical capabilities of organs and build harmonious police-public relations. On May 27, a national on-site promotion meeting on the construction of law enforcement audio-visual recording systems was held. The main purpose of the meeting was to standardize and promote the construction and application of law enforcement audio-visual recording systems and continuously improve the law enforcement capabilities and levels of grassroots organs.

In recent years, with the continuous deepening of standardized law enforcement construction, people's legal awareness and rights protection awareness have continuously increased, and the requirements for law enforcement by organs have also become increasingly higher. In order to actively adapt to the requirements of standardized law enforcement construction, the national political and legal organs took the lead in deploying and carrying out the work of equipping and using law enforcement recorders. Organs in various places, in accordance with deployment requirements, adhere to the science and technology strategy, are based on the needs of practical police work, and actively promote the construction of law enforcement recorders. Jianye Branch of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, Xuzhou City, and Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, have been courageous in innovation and continuous exploration in the research and development, in-depth application, equipment use, and daily management of law enforcement recording systems, accumulating valuable experience for the promotion and construction of law enforcement audio-visual recording systems. Currently, law enforcement audio-visual recording systems are playing an increasingly important role in promoting standardized law enforcement, expanding basic information collection channels, and promoting the transformation of operational mechanisms.

Body-worn cameras, as a type of information technology equipment, provide important support and guarantees for the timely collection and preservation of evidence, recording of various on-site event handling situations, protection of the legitimate rights and interests of police officers and parties involved, ensuring that police officers perform their duties in accordance with the law, and promoting improved law enforcement. They have achieved good results in law enforcement practice. However, it must be clearly recognized that the current construction and application of body-worn cameras still have problems such as insufficient understanding in some agencies, insufficiently high application levels, especially non-uniform system standards, inadequate management, and the urgent need to strengthen product quality supervision.

In the face of new situations, new tasks, and new requirements and challenges posed to law enforcement activities, it is crucial to fully understand the vital role of the law enforcement recording system in ensuring, supporting, and regulating law enforcement activities. Agencies at all levels should attach great importance to the quality management of the law enforcement recording system, promoting the construction and application of the system to a higher level to ensure that body-worn cameras are fully equipped and in place; they should give full play to the roles of the legal affairs, police discipline inspection departments, and business departments, strengthen publicity and education, strengthen training on the use of body-worn cameras, maintain and repair equipment, improve management systems, and ensure that grassroots officers at the front lines strictly wear them according to regulations; they should continuously innovate and deepen the application of the law enforcement recording system, enabling it to support information analysis, command communication, investigation and case solving, security prevention and control, social management, and standardized law enforcement.

Accelerating the construction and application of the law enforcement recording system is not only an important means of consolidating basic information, serving practical work, promoting standardized law enforcement, and building a disciplined team, but also an important task that lays a foundation and benefits the long term. This requires agencies at all levels to, with a stronger sense of responsibility and urgency, adhere to the requirements of practicality, applicability, and effectiveness, and further push the construction and application of the law enforcement recording system to a new level.