SANTO DOMINGO – The General Directorate of Customs (DGA) conducted the first tests and training sessions for the incorporation of body cameras for personnel working in the country's various ports, in order to make physical inspections and other operations carried out in these port terminals more transparent and efficient.
The project will begin with a pilot plan to be implemented at HIT Puerto Río Haina, and will be gradually extended to eleven other ports in the country, according to a press release.
These cameras, which will be used by the customs officers, include facial recognition technology and QR code readers, which will facilitate the verification of cargo entering and leaving the country.
“More technology means less discretion for public officials, which translates into fewer acts of corruption,” said the Director General of Customs, Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, during the first tests.
This initiative is part of the technological transformations undertaken by the DGA, to make commercial activities increasingly agile and transparent, helping to position the country as the main logistics hub in the region.
“The inspection of merchandise will be much faster and we will have more information about what is happening in the ports,” added Sanz Lovatón.
Eduardo Sanz Lovatón led the first tests. (External source).
Body cameras will also contribute to further improving and promoting transparency in the inspection processes by recording detailed merchandise inspections, as well as to the safety of the inspectors.
These will provide visual evidence in case of incidents, confrontations, or disputes that may arise during the inspections.
The event was attended by Armando Rivas, Vice President of Operations at HIT Puerto Río Haina; the multipurpose port that handles more than 60% of the maritime trade imported and exported in the Dominican Republic, which positions it as a terminal of great importance for the country's logistics operations.
HIT handles logistics processes related to the loading, unloading and dispatch of all types of goods in containers, as well as loose cargo, solid, liquid and gases.
“These measures are in line with the various initiatives we have been implementing at HIT Puerto Río Haina to continue innovating and strengthening our safety and quality management systems. Therefore, we collaborate daily with public authorities and institutions, such as the General Directorate of Customs, to operate under the highest standards, thus promoting more agile, efficient, secure, and sustainable trade,” stated Rivas.
About bodycams
Body cameras are an effective tool for recording detailed and objective data on the activities carried out by customs inspectors during cargo inspections, thus increasing transparency between their declarations and the actual contents of the containers. These body cameras are designed to be worn on the inspectors' safety vests, making them portable and easy to transport.
They are rechargeable, with a battery life exceeding 12 hours of recording, and high resolution, optimizing their performance and operation. In addition, they are waterproof, shockproof, and resistant to rough handling.
