DN 02/2018: Body worn video cameras
Background
Body Worn Video (BWV), the wearing of an overtly visible video recording device, has been widely adopted by UK police forces over recent years, in the belief that a range of benefits to police officers and the public can be realised.
NYP have been watching the national landscape develop, tracking the maturity of the products and solutions and feel that there is now a significant case for deploying BWV to its officers. A number of reviews have been conducted nationally and internationally, including by the College of Policing, and the benefits and learning from these can be integrated into NYP’s deployment.
Benefits extend to both improved legitimacy and safety for the public, and improved assurance for police officers. Implementation of these proposals also works towards the NPCC recommendations that BWV should be introduced for firearms and TASER officers, as well suggestions from HMIC and other review bodies that BWV can provide better assurance and evidence against domestic violence and the treatment of detainees in custody.
It is prudent for NYP, given its particular context and circumstances, to adopt an approach that confirms the benefits available here at this time, and so the BWV Project will adopt a Wave & Gate approach, where service roll out is undertaken in a number of Waves after which Gateway reviews are undertaken to confirm the benefits and affordability, and approve progress to the next wave.
Market testing has been conducted by regional procurement and neighbouring forces who have already implemented BWV, and NYP will be able to learn from best practice arising in these cases.
Currently there is sufficient digital infrastructure capacity to provide for storage, but further work as part of the Digital Transformation programme is proposed to move to a cloud storage system and greater integration of BWV capture with police intelligence systems.
Decision Record
The PCC has decided to fund the Chief Constable’s proposals for the implementation of body worn video cameras at a cost of £1.4 million over three years. To deliver this it will be necessary for the Chief Constable to deliver £1.04 million of savings over 2018/19 to fund the shortfall against that budgeted for BWV in the MTFP. The PCC expects proposals for these savings to come forward to the March 2018 Executive Board.
The PCC has also considered the proposed benefits review and has determined that these should be reviewed and refined in conjunction with her Office, and a clear baseline constructed, by the same time. This review should provide a clearer indication of the impact of use from Operation Kingfisher, a greater understanding of the public benefit in alignment with the Police and Crime Plan, and a greater understanding of the potential dis-benefits and methodology to monitor these and identify any further as the programme proceeds.
The PCC also expects that clear policy guidelines on how BWV should be used will have been developed and clearly communicated for all areas of business included in the business case prior to Wave 2 commencing.
Julia Mulligan
Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire
Date: 6 February 2018
Statutory Officer Advice
Legal, Management and Equality Implications
The PCC’s CEO and Monitoring Officer has advised that the use of data recording by policing bodies is a matter of some sensitivity within communities; it is also closely regulated by relevant legislation and practice guidance all of which will need to be designed into the policy guidelines described by the PCC and monitored accordingly.
Financial and Commercial
The PCC’s Chief Finance Officer and S151 Officer has advised that as set out in the Business Case the current balanced Medium Term Financial Plan only has capacity to fund the first £360k investment in Body Worn Video. This should be sufficient to implement the ‘Wave 2’ investment. Thereafter it is imperative, from a financial perspective, that prior to a decision to continue with any further investment that the savings are identified and delivered to continue this.
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