Police positive about body camera trial

Tuesday 07 January 2014

Jersey Police are deciding whether officers will carry on wearing cameras on duty after a successful trial.

A handful of the devices, costing £400 each, have been trialled on the Island's streets for the last six months. Officers have been wearing them attached to their chests, capturing audio and video evidence. The cameras have been commonplace in the UK for many years and have helped speed up the court process.

Police Inspector Sarah Henderson has been leading the Body Worn Video (BWV) project. At the start of the trial she was confident the cameras would help with prosecutions, saying that showing people footage of their behaviour, whether via CCTV or on a BWV often led to them pleading guilty at an early stage.

The Police are now deciding whether they are a cost-effective addition to their fight against crime and will assess whether they have helped deter anti-social behaviour.