The Police Association says any trial or introduction of body-mounted cameras for frontline officers would only work if there is extra staff and funding.
Justice Minister Judith Collins believes trialling such cameras for officers is a good idea, even though police say there are no immediate plans to try out the technology.
Ms Collins recently returned from Britain where the video technology is being trialled. She said frontline police there have been using body cameras when going into some domestic situations and initially have seen more successful prosecutions of offenders.
The minister said the victim does not have to end up giving any evidence because the camera is providing the evidence in addition to the police officer.
Smartphone-sized devices are also being trialled in other European countries.
Police Association president Greg O'Connor said on Wednesday while the introduction of Taser cameras was a good idea, it was an added cost and body-mounted cameras would have the same effect.
"If there were to be a trial, certainly the Police Association would be supportive of it - provided it was properly resourced - because our experience is that most trials ultimately end up as being adopted, and unless the funding was available right from the start, it is something that would ultimately have to be paid for by frontline police."
Mr O'Connor said without extra funding, any initiative would have to be paid for by cutting police numbers.
Police Minister Anne Tolley said there is no immediate plan to introduce body cameras, but police are watching other jurisdictions where they are being used.
The Department of Corrections is trialling body cameras for officers in high security areas in two jails following a reduction in prison violence where used in Britain.
