The head of the Police and Border Guard Board, Egert Belitšev, said that the police did not violate the law when using camera data. He said that the laws need to be updated and clarified.
Belitšev said that the police believed they had the right to use camera data. He understands the Chancellor of Justice's remarks and says that it is good for Estonia that the Chancellor of Justice monitors such matters and provides recommendations. The Chancellor of Justice said that the rules for data collection should be written in the law, not just as a guideline.
Belitšev added that society and privacy expectations are changing. Laws must keep up. The police noticed that some laws need clarification regarding the use of cameras.
Belitšev emphasized that this does not mean that the police are acting illegally. The laws simply need to be updated. The police are currently not using cameras as the law is being amended. Interior Minister Igor Taro has suspended the use of cameras.
Belitšev said that the police have lost an important tool. He compared it to a doctor's stethoscope. A doctor can work without a stethoscope, but tools are necessary for a difficult operation. The police need cameras to investigate serious crimes.
Belitšev said that cameras are important for quick intervention. He said that most people have seen cameras and many have signs near them. Belitšev wondered if the locations of cameras should be public. But he asked if it would make it easier for criminals.
Belitšev said that the use of cameras does not mean that a totalitarian society will emerge in Estonia. He said that a totalitarian society emerges when people's sense of security declines. The police are trying to avoid this with reasonable measures.