News / Crime
Bristol police to wear body cameras
Front line police officers in Bristol will begin wearing body cameras before the end of the year after the force agreed to start phasing them in.
Some 2,300 cameras will be introduced across the Avon and Somerset Constabulary for bobbies on the beat and PCSOs, with additional cameras to be phased in to other roles further down the line.
The introduction of the cameras was praised by new chief constable Andy Marsh, who is also the national police lead for body-worn video.
is needed now More than ever
“A picture paints a thousand words and this is a further step in using digitalisation to transform policing and the criminal justice service for the better,” he said.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, police forces have a duty to inform a person that their actions are being recorded on body-worn cameras for evidence purposes and officers will be obliged to clearly state when they are recording an individual.
Supporters of body cameras argue they will produce high-quality evidence and provide an additional level of protection for officers while increasing the transparency of their work.
A recent study found that police officers wearing body cameras were 15 per cent more likely to get attacked on duty.
Sue Mountstevens, re-elected as the force’s police and crime commissioner in May, said: “Supporting the police in being open and transparent, the devices will help give a complete tale of events, for example when recording stop and searches or domestic abuse incidents. These body worn cameras will also make a real difference in giving local people more confidence in their policing service.”
Reveal Media, which supplies more than 20 forces already, was chosen as the supplier.
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