Page 28 - Top Cover Issue 7

28 TOP COVER ISSUE 7
TAKE A STEP

FORWARD

Improve policing using

Body Cams On Trial

Be more open and
F ollowing on from last issue’s articles on Body Worn Video police forces can buy whatever they desire with no concern if accountable to

there have been speedy developments, particularly in
it works with their neighbours or partners!
relation to uniform firearms officers. While accepting the
differences between what the camera can record and what the The system should be able to also cope with information from
brain interprets of what the eye has seen; there are other issues other sources; CCTV, MG11 forms, photographs and data-port the public.
beyond the camera alone that need to be considered. downloads from weapons. A movie is 400,000 times larger
than an email.
I have reviewed footage from several of the body worn videos. I
would like to raise two points. Officers generally go far beyond Because of the nature of video, one person with one camera
the ‘Daily Mail’ test of what a member of the public would will need a large digital storage capacity which should store
expect. They face provocation and tolerate assaults which, data at Impact Level 3 (IL3) with servers based in the UK. Do
when video footage starts to become the norm, will reveal you know what your digital evidence workflow costs today?
them to be the professional, compassionate and brave men Is it a hidden cost eating up officers’ time? As a force are you
and women we have know them for a long time to be. expecting to increase the number of cameras you have and
Sadly much of the footage of torso mounted body worn video is are you preparing for the management of the extra data?
obstructed when the officers raise their arms to adopt a ‘spear’
defensive stance or aim a Taser or Firearm. Evolution or Creation The labelling and titling of footage and burning of discs should
(depending on your beliefs) placed our eyes on the front of our become a thing of the past, the system should be taking work
heads not the middle of our chest. If you want the best possible from officers not creating an extra burden. If you could save
recording of what might have been seen the option of a head/ each police officer an hour a day the correct system would
eye level view should be preferred. When driving or walking effectively pay for itself.
we tend to move our heads looking left and right due to the Beyond the camera capture we must prepare to ingest, store,
scanning nature of sight. If you look at the rear lights of a car retrieve and share.
intently you will not be able to read the registration number, Wide angle lens -
although a camera will record this information. Unless it is Announcing the use of cameras by firearms
towards the centre of what we are looking at details are not officers, Commissioner Sir Bernard- Capture it all
clear. Hogan-Howe said: “This is the next step
towards us mproving our policing
w
Our point of view AXONfl ex
Our point of vie
The recorded footage can become evidence and therefore an service to Londoners through the Our point of vie w
evidential chain needs to be established and maintained. Any use of technology. It allows us to
has a 75-degr
has a 75-degr
has a 75-degr
ee lens that
ee lens that
ee lens that

perceived opportunity to alter the recording will no doubt be be more open and accountable has a 75-degree lens that
frowned upon. Many amateur cameras use removable memory to the public we serve.” p r o v i d e s a gr eater fi eld of
provides a greater fi eld of
provides a greater fi eld of

cards, the integrity of the evidence throughout all stages of
wing o
w
,
allo
f

fi

t
r
s
o
e
c
view, allowing offi cers to
vie
the justice system must be auditable and transparent. That In my experience Taser and view, allowing offi cers to
process will involve everything from video capture to ingesting Firearms officers go far
capture more of what
it, storing, retrieving and sharing with other investigators and beyond what is required. capture more of what
ultimately the courts. The picture that paints a thousand words The public should be
they experience.
is incredibly valuable unless doubt is place on its authenticity prepared to be shocked at they experience.
then it becomes worthless. what front line police deal
with.
The Government has expressed a desire to reduce time spent
by officers in stations on paperwork by 2016 and has set aside
an Innovations Fund. Some of this years money has already
been offered to forces. In true British policing style over 40 WRITTEN BY ANDY GRAY
uk.evidence.com