Police officers wearing headcams while on patrol will become a regular sight across Suffolk, following a pilot in the west of the county.
The tiny cameras are worn on the side of the officer’s head or helmet, and record what the officer sees and hears as he or she goes about their duties. The Home Office provided £3 million funding across all forces to trial these cameras, five of which were tested in Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Newmarket and Eye between September and November 2007. They were trialled by officers patrolling town centres during busy evenings, specifically focusing on anti social behaviour, domestic abuse, and the professional development of student officers.
The trial had two purposes, as project co-ordinator Sergeant Melanie Johnston says. “Firstly we wanted to see if the cameras were useful in the prevention and detection of crime. Officers received positive comments from people who saw them out and about with the headcams on, and we feel that they do provide an extra reassurance for the public.
“The cameras also proved invaluable in several cases, where offenders could instantly see they’d been caught on camera committing a crime. Officers have also been able to submit footage as evidence in some cases, and depending on the plea this may end up being viewed in court.
“In one case we had a domestic violence offender who was found guilty, despite the victim refusing to go to court to give evidence. Her injuries and initial account were captured on the headcam and used in evidence, and the male was convicted.
“We also wanted to find out which headcam was best for our needs – how durable they were to use on patrol, how comfortable they were to wear, how long the batteries lasted, how easy they were to use and how clear their image and sound quality were. All officers who used the cameras submitted feedback to help us choose which model to purchase for the rest of the force.”
Some £55k of of funding has now been secured from the Home Office to buy nearly 70 more headcams for use throughout the force, in areas such as roads policing, firearms and support teams as well as for public order, domestic abuse and training as in the pilot. The cameras tested in the pilot will also continue to be used.
Some 21 officers have attended a one-day training course and gained an NVQ, which enables them to train other officers in the use of the headcam. Suffolk officers are the first in the country to gain this qualification.
