Police now able to record videos of interview sessions

Police will now be able to record the videos of interview sessions when arresting someone which can then be played in court. 

Commissioner of Police Sitiveni Qiliho highlighted this at the opening of the First Hour Procedure and Video Recording Interview Workshop.

Qiliho says the pilot project is currently underway at the CID headquarters and the Totogo police station.

He says with the help of stakeholders such as the UNDP they hope to gradually install this in other police stations around the country.

Qiliho also spoke about the emergence of a video of a few police officers kicking and hitting some men with batons on the roadside at Pacific Harbour.

He says that police have been on the receiving end and getting a lot of backlash from the public and he wants to make it clear that he does not condone such acts from his officers.

Meanwhile Chief Justice Anthony Gates says the video recordings will save time during court proceedings as the defence will be able to apply for video and transcripts from the police to use in their case.

The Director of Public Prosecutions Christopher Pryde and the Director of the Human Rights Commission, Ashwin Raj have also welcomed the new procedure.

The 3 day First Hour Procedure and Video Recording Interview Workshop is being held at Suvavou House.