Quintana Roo Police to Wear Body Cameras Statewide

QUINTANA ROO, Mexico — Police officers across Quintana Roo will soon be required to wear lapel cameras, with the measure becoming mandatory in all 11 municipalities starting this year. The initiative, announced by State Citizen Security Secretary Julio César Gómez Torres and backed by Governor Mara Lezama, will begin with transit and tourism police as part of agreements made by the State Council for Citizen Security. Officials say the move is intended to strengthen transparency in police actions, improve accountability, and rebuild trust between the public and security forces.

The municipality of Benito Juárez, which includes Cancún, has already set the pace with the purchase of more than 700 cameras, covering nearly all of its operational personnel. The investment, valued at around 31 million pesos, outfitted officers with cameras capable of 2K video and audio recording and up to 12 hours of battery life. Officers are required to check out the devices at the start of their shifts and return them at the end, when recordings are downloaded and securely stored. The system is designed so that footage cannot be tampered with by the officers themselves.

Gómez Torres confirmed that in 2025, nearly 450 additional cameras will be distributed to municipalities with fewer resources, including Puerto Morelos, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Lázaro Cárdenas—covering Holbox—Bacalar, and Othón P. Blanco. The phased rollout will ensure that even areas with lower investment capacity are able to participate in the program.

With this step, Quintana Roo joins other states across Mexico that are incorporating body-worn cameras and similar technology into their law enforcement systems. Authorities frame the initiative as part of a broader modernization strategy aimed at improving public safety and guaranteeing more transparent policing for the benefit of the population. Still, questions remain about the program’s long-term scope, including how video data will be stored, who will oversee its review, and how privacy concerns will be addressed as the program expands statewide.