Body Cameras For Derby Cops

4 August 2011, 06:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A Derby community has becomes the first local team to equip local Police with latest crime fighting bodyworn cameras.

The new equipment has taken nearly two years to come in since local Councillor Ranjit Banwait came up with the idea of securing video recording cameras for his local police beat team in Alvaston.

Councillor Banwait first came up with the idea of securing video recording cameras for his local Police beat team after hearing about the success of a Police head camera pilot to tackle night life crime and ASB in Derby city centre, and nearly a year since he secured the funding, but at last the cameras are now operational.

Worn on the chest by Police, the cameras can record evidence that can be used in court and act as an effective deterrent.

Cutting Trouble

Capital spoke to Inspector Kam Bria who reckons it will be the most affective tool in cutting down anti-social behaviour:

" The benefits of the camera will be that anybody who's actually involved in any criminal activity, once they've realise they've been recorded by an officer it will help their decision of whether they want to go to court or whether it's them being caught in the act of doing it.

"We've had some anti-social behaviour here in the past and the officer was wearing the camera and we were able to record some really good evidence and before we actually got to trial, the defendant realised he had been caught on camera and it was an early guilty plea."