BWV cameras for all frontline officers
Hampshire Constabulary Chief Constable Andy Marsh said that among the many initiatives awarded funding, the commitment by the Government to body-worn video (BWV) cameras was recognition of the massive benefit it offers in terms of building trust with the public and having an accurate and verifiable digital record of the evidence.
Hampshire is on target to become the first UK police force to kit out all frontline officers with BWV cameras and Mr Marsh said he was absolutely confident that the force would be at the forefront of this technology for the public, to put them first and to do a good job for them.
Speaking at the most recent Commissioners Performance, Accountability, Scrutiny and Strategy (COMPASS) meeting with Hampshire police and crime commissioner (PCC) Simon Hayes, Mr Marsh said: Every single frontline uniform officer will wear BWV and I believe that well be the first police force nationally, and probably actually in the Western World, where all officers use those.
He said that the cameras were essential for a number of reasons, including quicker justice, fairer justice and an independent witness.
Mr Marsh also expressed confidence that the use of innovative technology such as BWV and mobile data devices that enable more effective policing will allow targeted patrol teams to work effectively 24/7 under the constabularys new policing model (see PP393).
Hampshire Constabulary already has more than 450 BWV cameras in use across Hampshire, including 180 that are personally issued assigned to one specific officer to officers and PCSOs on the Isle of Wight as part of a one-year project that ends this summer. The project will be evaluated by independent researchers from the University of Portsmouths Institute of Criminal Justice Studies.
Mr Hayes said that BWV provides an additional resource that supports officers in gathering accurate and irrefutable evidence in certain situations where it might otherwise be lost. It also makes officers more efficient and accountable to the public in the many challenging situations they face daily.
He said the continual investment in latest technology provides greater opportunities for officers to work away from land bases. This allows us to sell old, costly-to-maintain and unfit-for-purpose police stations and work from shared accommodation with partners.
Hampshire Constabulary allocated £399,000 for the use of BWV from its total funding of £1.1 million awarded through the Governments precursor fund of £20 million that was made available to PCCs ahead of the first full year of operation of its Police Innovation Fund that will be worth up to £50 million a year from 2014/15. Mr Hayes has agreed match-funding to ensure Hampshires officers have the best available tools to gather evidence and investigate crimes.
In total, the Home Secretary approved £1.4 million from the precursor fund to increase the use of BWV across six forces that already use the cameras to varying degrees Hampshire Constabulary, the Metropolitan Police Service, Leicestershire Police, Durham Constabulary, Thames Valley Police and Gwent Police.
