Quintana Roo Expands Body Camera Use; 50% of Police Now Equipped

A police officer wearing a body camera in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Cancún, Quintana Roo — About half of all state and municipal police officers in Quintana Roo are now equipped with body cameras, according to state Public Security Secretary Julio César Gómez Torres.

Gómez Torres said the devices are part of a broader push to improve transparency, oversight, and accountability in policing. He acknowledged that the rollout requires significant investment for both equipment and maintenance.

“I think around 50 percent in the state, between state and municipal police, already have body cameras,” he said.

The state Public Security Department plans to invest 5 million pesos in 2026 to expand coverage, down from 15 million pesos allocated in 2025.

“We have a planned investment of 5 million pesos from the state; last year we invested 15 million pesos,” Gómez Torres said.

Benito Juárez is the municipality with the highest adoption rate, with nearly all operational officers now wearing body cameras. Significant progress was also reported in Playa del Carmen and Cozumel.

“Benito Juárez has made a major investment; almost all of Benito Juárez’s protection officers wear body cameras. Playa del Carmen does too, and Cozumel is doing the same,” he said.

The state government is providing technical and operational support to other municipalities to help them meet standards set by the State Public Security Council.

Footage from the cameras is transmitted directly to municipal and state command centers, where it is stored according to specific protocols. Recordings are kept for about three weeks before being overwritten, but if an incident or investigation is involved, the material is retained for six months, two years, or even up to five years.

“The recordings are rewritten after a certain time — I think three weeks of storage — and then they are overwritten. But when there is a situation related to a reported event, they are kept for six months, two years, and up to five years,” Gómez Torres concluded.

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By Javier Mendez

Javier Mendez covers public safety, law enforcement, and legal affairs in Quintana Roo. He monitors official reports from the FGE (State Prosecutor's Office), the Mexican Navy, and municipal police to deliver accurate English summaries of crime, trafficking cases, arrests, and court rulings affecting the Riviera Maya region.Javier has been covering crime and public safety news since 2023, reporting on cases ranging from felony arrests and human trafficking investigations to court proceedings and organized crime-related incidents across Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Chetumal. His reporting provides English-speaking residents and travelers with reliable, timely information about safety conditions in Quintana Roo's major tourist destinations.Javier works closely with official government sources and press offices to verify facts before publication, and maintains an archive of law enforcement communications to provide context for ongoing stories. He is dedicated to accurate, factual reporting on complex safety issues that affect both residents and visitors to the region.For story tips: javier@rivieramayanews.mx