Croatian Police to Introduce Mandatory Body Cameras

The news in Croatian

1. obavezan
   potrebno ili nužno slijediti ili primjenjivati; propisano od strane pravila ili zakona ↩︎
2. transparentnost (f.)
   otvorenost i jasnost informacija ili postupaka ↩︎
3. odgovornost (f.)
   biti odgovoran za nešto, imati obvezu ili dužnost odgovoriti za postupke ili posljedice ↩︎
4. optužba (f.)
   tvrdnja da je osoba učinila nešto loše ili nezakonito ↩︎
5. zloupotreba (f.)
   nepravilna ili štetna uporaba nečega ↩︎
6. financirati
   osigurati potrebna sredstva za nešto ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: When will the mandatory body cameras be implemented for Croatian police officers?

Question: What is one of the purposes of introducing body cameras for police officers in Croatia?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
obavezan	mandatory
transparentnost (f.)	transparency
odgovornost (f.)	responsibility
optužba (f.)	accusation
zloupotreba (f.)	abuse
financirati	finance

Read the full story

The Croatian Ministry of the Interior is set to introduce mandatory body cameras for all uniformed police officers during interventions starting in 2025. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and accountability within the police force by recording every intervention.

According to a ministry insider, the primary purpose of this move is to protect police officers from unfounded allegations while simultaneously safeguarding citizens from any potential misuse of power or excessive force. This dual-purpose approach aims to foster a more trusting relationship between the public and law enforcement.

The project has been allocated funds in the ministry’s budget for the upcoming year, and it will be officially presented to the public in the following weeks. This marks the revival of a previous undertaking from 2015, known as the ‘System for Managing Police Cameras’ as part of an e-police initiative. Despite initial efforts, this system never fully went live, although it was piloted across several major police stations in Croatia.

Back in 2015, the project faced numerous challenges, including legal uncertainties and practical operational issues such as the substantial time required to process video footage and the significant data storage needs. These challenges contributed to its eventual standstill.

In Europe, the use of police body cameras varies. Some countries concentrate on vehicular surveillance for traffic control, while others, like Croatia plans to, implement body-worn cameras for broader uses, including managing civil disturbances and investigating domestic violence incidents.

The Minstry’s reinitiation of this project reflects an ongoing commitment to modernizing police operations through technology, while addressing past issues to ensure a smoother implementation this time around. The handling of privacy issues and effective use of recorded footage are expected to be primary focuses in the coming phases.

Info: Croatian Learner News is a service from Let’s Learn Croatian, our dedicated language school offering a variety of online courses to help you master Croatian. For those seeking an immersive experience, join our summer school in Croatia for an enriching cultural and language experience.