Sofia Enforces Body Cams for Street Officers

Lyubomir Nikolov, Director of the Metropolitan Directorate of Internal Affairs, announced the mandatory use of body cameras for all street-deployed police officers. However, specifics regarding implementation timelines and procurement remain undisclosed, as highlighted during his interview with "Nova TV."

The catalyst for this announcement stemmed from the completion of an investigation into police violence during a protest against the Bulgarian Football Union's management. Conclusively, four officers faced dismissal while nine received reprimands due to their involvement in the aggression.

Nikolov shed light on the absence of body cameras during the protest, citing concerns over potential damage amid escalated tensions. He emphasized an existing practice of assigning a police officer to document both protester actions and police conduct at mass events.