Cameras will be fitted to police officer’s uniforms in Chippenham from Monday as part of a trial to improve crime detection rates and the experiences of victims.

 

The cameras have been bought using a grant from the Home Office, in a bid to tackle anti social behaviour and crime. They can be worn discreetly either on the head or on an officer’s vest and will film incidents in real time. Wiltshire police hope that by recording video footage at the time of an incident it will lead to more guilty pleas in court, and act as a deterrent, particularly in cases of anti-social behaviour and domestic violence.

 

They also hope that showing the footage in court will help to demonstrate the impact of the crime on the victim and their family.

 

If the trial in Chippenham is a success, it could be rolled out across the county in 2010.

 

Chief Inspector Gavin Williams said: “Wiltshire is one of the safest counties in the country. As a force, we take all reports of violence, disorder and anti-social behaviour seriously and encourage all victims to contact police.

 

“The purchase of these cameras, through a Home Office grant, is about using the latest technology to further improve detection rates and the experience of victims. If successful, we will expand the trial to include other towns in North and West Wiltshire.”

 

Filming incidents will also reduce the amount of time that officers have to spend on filling in paperwork leaving more time to respond to other incidents.

 

Strict privacy guidelines surrounding the use of the cameras are in place and officers must inform the public before they are turned on.

 

Permission must always be sought if officers wish to use the camera in someone’s home and any victim who does not want to be filmed will have their wishes respected