Havering police officers to receive body worn video cameras to fight crime
Metropolitan police officers are to receive body worn video cameras to aid the fight against crime. Photo: Met Police - Credit: Met Police
Police officers around the capital will gain a new tool to aid the fight against crime.
Today marks the start of a large scale deployment of body worn video (BWV) cameras to more than 22,000 officers.
But it is not yet known when exactly police in the borough will receive the equipment.
Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, said: “Body Worn Video will support our officers in the many challenging situations they have to deal with, at the same time as building the public’s confidence.
“What we do every day will be seen by the public - that has to be good.”
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The cameras, attached to an officer’s uniform, will not be permanently recording and people will be told as soon as practical that they are being filmed.
A flashing red circle and a frequent beeping noise will indicate when the camera is activated.
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If people wish to view footage taken of them they can a freedom of information request in writing within 31 days, unless the footage has been marked as evidence and retained.
Sir Bernard continued: “Our experience of using cameras already shows that people are more likely to plead guilty when they know we have captured the incident on a camera.
“That then speeds up justice, puts offenders behind bars more quickly and most importantly protects potential victims.
“Video captures events in a way that can’t be represented on paper in the same detail, a picture paints a thousand words, and it has been shown the mere presence of this type of video can often defuse potentially violent situations without the need for force to be used.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, called the equipment a “huge” step forward in bringing the metropolitan police force into the 21st century.
It is expected the roll-out will be completed by next summer.
