Police in Harrow have started wearing Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras.
The equipment is being issued to around 270 of the borough’s frontline police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), with additional cameras available for specialist departments.
Scotland Yard said the cameras can help bring speedier justice for victims and offers greater transparency for those in front of the camera as well as those behind it.
BWV cameras are worn attached to the officer’s uniform and do not permanently record, with members of the public told as soon as it is practical that they are being recorded.
When the camera is recording, it is highly visible with a flashing red circle in the centre of the camera and a frequent beeping noise when it is activated.
Inspector Steven Wilson, Harrow Body Worn Camera lead, said: “Body Worn Video will be an invaluable tool for front line officers and will make Harrow safer.
"The footage it captures at a scene will provide a compelling addition to the evidence we are able to present at court.
“Its use is proven in increasing conviction rates, reducing confrontation and complaints against police officers and informing sentencing decisions at court.
“The communities in Harrow should have increased confidence in our enhanced ability to support victims of crime and directly record criminal behaviour and its consequences.
“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 MPS crime reporting methods and procedures for conveying evidence from scene into the evidential chain for admission at court.”
Footage from the camera is automatically uploaded to secure servers once the device has been docked and flagged for use as evidence at court or other proceedings, the police said.
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Video not retained as evidence or for a policing purpose is automatically deleted within 31 days.
If the public wish to view footage taken of them they can request, in writing, to obtain it under freedom of information and data protection laws.
The request must be within 31 days of the incident unless it has been marked as police evidence and therefore retained.
Over the coming months cameras will be issued to all 32 London boroughs and a number of frontline specialist roles, including overt firearms officers.
The deployment of all 22,000 cameras will be managed in a phased approach and is anticipated to be complete by the summer.
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