No plans for West Mercia police officers to wear body cameras
West Mercia Police has no plans at present to equip officers with body cameras, it has been revealed.
A trial has proved so successful in Wolverhampton and parts of Birmingham thatWest Midlands Police force has said it aims to have all its response officers wearing them cameras on duty by April next year.
But that will not be mirrored across the border in Shropshire, despite police and crime commissioner Bill Longmore admitting they were a "very useful" tool in the fight against crime.
The cameras – worn on the officer's protective vest and the size of a standard smart phone – are said to cut the number of incidents where force is used and have resulted in a reduction in the number of complaints from the public in the West Midlands force area.
But West Mercia Police spokeswoman Terri-Anne Powell said: "West Mercia have trialled body cameras in the past, but do not use them currently.
"Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police are waiting for a Home Office led team to report on findings for the best kit available within the market, and the best deployment for their use.
"We also then need to decide how these cameras are deployed throughout the force and the best areas for their use."
Mr Longmore added: "A lot of pilot projects with body cameras have been going on at police forces nationwide.
"They have proven very useful in helping everyone learn lessons about whether or how they should be used.
"The overwhelming feedback seems to be that they can be a very useful tool in the fight against crime, and I feel they do have a role to play.
"They can help reduce complaints against police officers, and provide vital evidence in cases - for example those involving domestic violence.
"Having said that, we also need to exercise a bit of caution. As much as officers on the ground clearly need the right equipment, the appropriate back-office kit and procedures need to be in place as well to support that work on the ground, and make sure everything is done correctly."
All frontline Staffordshire Police officers were given body cams last year.
A total of 530 cameras have been provided by the force. The move has cost £330,000.
At the time, Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis said the body cameras would offer a deterrent to anyone wanting to attack an officer.
They are used to take photos to help in criminal cases and speed up the force's complaints process.
