Londoners will be pleased to learn that the Metropolitan Police Service is launching a large-scale deployment of body worn video cameras. However, this is also good news for the country as a whole, because the trial is expected to lead a national scheme in the coming years.
The rollout across the capital
22,000 Met police officers will be issued with body worn video cameras, across 32 boroughs of London. Although the devices will not be recording every second of the day, officers will activate their cameras when they feel that a situation might take a turn for the worse. The public can spot when a camera is recording because it will display a flashing red light and make an intermittent beeping sound. See more at http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/bodyworn-cameras-rolled-out-to-thousands-of-met-police-officers-a3370696.html.
How much reassurance can body worn video cameras bring?
It’s thought that the use of body worn video cameras will act as a deterrent to offenders in the city, as they are far less likely to get away with crimes if their images are captured on video. The scheme has already proved that many criminals plead guilty much earlier than they would normally have, due to them knowing that their image has been captured.
That said, residents and commuters should feel reassured that if a crime is committed and captured on film, then justice should be achieved much faster. Meanwhile, it provides peace of mind for those being stopped and searched that officers will treat them in a professional manner, as their own actions are being recorded and observed too.
Body worn video cameras – not just for the officials
Though the use of body worn video cameras by the Met is helping to build confidence in the capital, what happens when we are alone with no uniformed officers in sight? Body worn cameras can be purchased for personal use, via https://www.pinnacleresponse.com/, to help you to protect yourself from dangerous situations, or to allow you to record a crime or attack as an onlooker.
Video is a far more powerful and factual tool than any witness statement, as there is no place for confusion or emotion with this type of evidence. Not only can body worn video cameras bring about justice, they can also diffuse a dangerous situation before it even begins.