Video recorders on lapels can capture court ready evidence

Council parks police officers across Hammersmith & Fulham and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea are the first in London to be supplied with high tech body-cams.

The councils say the move, which will enable officers to capture court ready evidence at the touch of a button, will help cut crime and antisocial behaviour in 87 parks and open spaces parks and speed up prosecutions.

Parks Police will wear the Revealmedia RS3-SX body-cam system – which is an all in one, weather-proof, high definition video recorder with integrated evidence management software.

Parks cops will wear the pager-sized gadgets attached to their shirts to record any interactions while on duty. The move is expected to capture much-needed evidence and reduce paperwork and bureaucracy. 
  
The high tech gadgets are able to capture high quality footage at night and will come with a date and time on all videos.

The council say the cameras, which cost taxpayers £300 each, will be a huge money-saver because they save court preparation time and often force an early guilty plea.

Cllr Greg Smith, H&F Council deputy leader, says: " A picture is worth a thousand words and video footage is much more effective in securing convictions than verbal accounts, which can be challenged. Dog poo, littering and other forms of antisocial behaviour could soon be a thing of the past in our parks.

"My message to anyone thinking of causing a problem in our parks is: smile – you’re on camera and we will see you in court." 
  
The Parks Police team, which is 33 officers strong and operates 365 days a year, also utilise a GPS tracked digital radio system which allows controllers to track the location of staff on computer maps and ensure the nearest unit is dispatched to an incident. In the event of an officer needing urgent assistance a "red button" can alert other staff to the location where help is required.

Parks Police duties include: reporting crime within the parks; detaining offenders; enforcing byelaws and dog control orders; security at park events; dog chipping, dog shows and cycle marking; attending park user group meetings; locking certain parks and lost property in parks and open spaces.

For more information visit www.lbhf.gov.uk/crime.

January 15, 2014