Security Vaud and Valais police officers to receive bodycams
Police officers in the cantons of Vaud and Valais are to be able to be equipped with bodycams. The Vaud government has passed a bill to this effect. The Valais parliament approved the use of bodycams by the police on Thursday.
13.11.2025, 12:15
SDA
The Vaud government wants to "strengthen transparency, trust and security" in police operations with the general introduction of bodycams, as it wrote in a press release on Thursday. The body cameras would help to "prevent rudeness and violence during operations, provide objective footage that can be used in court and support the accountability, legitimacy and credibility of police work", which is in the interests of both officers and the public.
A pilot test carried out by the cantonal police and Lausanne municipal police in 2019 and 2020 confirmed the added value of bodycams. As a first step, each two-man patrol of the mobile riot police will be equipped with at least one bodycam. A gradual introduction is then planned, with the aim of eventually equipping all police officers.
Strictly regulated recordings
The aim of the change in the law is to standardize practice and train police forces in such a way that the same quality standard is guaranteed when using bodycams. However, each police force will continue to be free to decide on the degree of use, according to the State Council.
The recordings made using the bodycams may be kept for a maximum of 150 days, unless otherwise ordered by a court. Access to the images will also be strictly regulated and reserved for the competent authorities, the government further emphasized.
The amendment to the law will soon be submitted to the Grand Council of the Canton of Vaud.
No foreigners in the Valais cantonal police force
The Valais Grand Council approved an amendment to the law on the cantonal police in a single reading on Thursday. This will allow the use of bodycams and automated vehicle searches. Only the Greens voted against.
The wish of the Upper Valais center to include the use of stun guns in the amended law was not supported by the majority of the council. The Valais cantonal parliament also refused to allow people with a permanent residence permit (C permit) to join the cantonal police force. Neuchâtel, Jura and Basel-Stadt had decided the opposite in the past.
