Last two London boroughs to receive BWV cameras

Following their official launch, officers from Kingston upon Thames and Merton will be the last two boroughs to receive their Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras.

Approximately 219 of Kingston's and 321 of Merton's public facing police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will receive the cameras in an effort to offer greater transparency and gather evidence in policing in the capital.

Officers have recorded almost 800,000 videos since August 2016, 500,000 of which have auto deleted from the system as per the Metropolitan Police policy on retention of footage. The force is the only UK police force digitally sharing BWV with the Crown Prosecution Service.

Inspector James Ellis, who leads the Body Worn Video project team, said: "Body Worn Video is an invaluable tool to combat crime and one that will make policing safer and support both officers and the public. In addition to the cameras, we also have first class accompanying software to manage all data downloaded from the camera in a secure, systematic and professional manner. It is fully integrated with existing Met crime reporting methods and procedures for conveying evidence from the scene into the evidential chain for admission at court.

"It can sometimes be difficult to articulate what officers have witnessed, however with both an audio and visual capability, the footage it captures at a scene will provide a compelling addition to the evidence we are able to present. Body Worn Video will provide further reassurance to London's communities of our enhanced ability to support victims of crime and directly record criminal behaviour and its consequences."

[Image from Metropolitan Police website]