Requirement for law enforcement recordings boosts transparency

THE STATE COUNCIL, China's Cabinet, has issued a guiding document to law enforcers nationwide, which requires them to make video and audio records of the whole process of their law enforcement. The State Council's office of legislative affairs has instructed local governments to pass regulations on the use and supervision of video and audio records in law enforcement. Southern Metropolis Daily comments:

Actually, a majority of law enforcers nationwide are already equipped with video recorders. But in practice, some law enforcers only use them for their own benefit: When the public raises any doubts about their enforcement of the law, they only show the public the video records that support their deeds, and tell them there is an incomplete record or no record when it might be damaging to them.

That further highlights the necessity of the State Council's guiding document, as it clearly and unambiguously requires law enforcers nationwide to make complete records of how they enforce the law. Those who fail to do so will be held responsible for that.