Federation: Cops with cameras are not a “silver bullet”

CLEARER guidance needs to be introduced for officers using body cameras if they are to be more widely rolled out, Essex Police Federation has warned.

Officers at Essex Police have been trialling the use of the cameras when they attend domestic abuse incidents since January. Under the pilot, 80 officers from response and patrol have been given the cameras to collect evidence on around 100 known offenders.

The force says the cameras secure better evidence and can increase the number of convictions achieved. But Mark Smith, chairman of Essex Police Federation, has warned that they are not a silver bullet.

Mr Smith said: “If an officer is going to a domestic abuse incident, it is left up to  the officer to decide that is what it is. It is open to interpretation. So if they do not turn it on, they are open to questions – ‘why didn’t you switch it on. Are you up to no good?’ There needs to be a firm policy on it.”

Mr Smith also warned that the cameras are not as reliable as CCTV for example, as they are not fixed. Mr Smith said the federation is working with the force on its concerns.

But, he added that cameras not only increase the incidence of guilty pleas, they also provide better evidence.

He said: “The camera shows the incident at the time. You could arrive to a domestic, for example, and you get a lot of information from the footage – the first images of the incident, how that person is acting, victim injuries, and that can be rolled out to other things – public order, motorist behaviour and so on.

“When defendants appear in court they are very polite – they are in a sterile situation. But when you get that evidence onto machines, it is very valuable.”

Around 20 forces across England and Wales now issue officers with the light, portable cameras – and the Home Office this year kicked off a ￡1.4 million trial of the technology. The devices, no bigger than Airwave radios, are clipped onto the stab vest and are ready to use whenever evidence is there to be collected. Footage can then be uploaded straight onto the force’s IT system.

Advocates say they increase the amount of time bobbies can spend out on the beat, speed up justice and protect officers from complaints.

Steve Williams, national Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales said: “Police officers are highly accountable for their actions and technology has the potential to play a valuable role in order to assist with the recording of incidents professionally and transparently, for the greater good of the public and for our members. Any measure that helps secure best evidence is to be welcomed.”