Body Worn Video is now being rolled out to frontline officers and staff in Shropshire, after the Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion signed off a £1million investment in the technology.
Body Worn Video is in use in Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, Ellesmere, Oswestry, Bishops Castle, Church Stretton, Ludlow, Cleobury Mortimer and throughout Shropshire’s rural communities, as part of the PCC’s commitment to a modern, reformed police force. The technology has been shown to reduce complaints against police officers, help prevent crimes occurring and provide clear evidence of incidents when required.
The roll out is ahead of schedule, with officers in Telford and Worcestershire already using the technology, and Herefordshire to follow in the coming weeks.
John Campion said “This technology plays a big part in my vision for a reformed, reassured and safer West Mercia and I am pleased to see it being rolled out ahead of schedule.
It is already clear that the increased transparency which the video provides is reassuring both the public and our officers, giving our communities greater confidence in the police service. The higher quality of evidence this delivers, provides a higher quality of service for victims and increases the chance of justice being served.
This, along with a number of other changes to technology, exemplifies how I am delivering on the promise I made to our communities to deliver the modern, forward thinking police force that they deserve.”
Superintendent Jason Wells said: “The roll-out of Body Worn Video across Shropshire is a welcome development that gives our officers another powerful tool to help protect our communities from harm, and ensure those who break the law can be dealt with effectively.
“Video captures events in a way that cannot be represented in written statements. Footage helps to show the real impact a crime can have on victims, and helps to ensure total transparency in police actions, and in a suspect’s behaviour. This video evidence can help us resolve complaints quickly and fairly, and further improve public confidence in local policing. Although video evidence doesn’t replace conventional ways of gathering evidence, it provides us with another source of high quality evidence to share with colleagues and our partners to give us the best chance to secure a conviction in court.”
Issued: Tuesday 29th August 2017
