Derbyshire Constabulary is undertaking a new head camera trial that is set to provide a "blueprint" for the way police services manage next generation body worn video (BWV) technology. The new BWV evidence management system, developed jointly with Scyron, the security and surveillance services company, is already helping to secure convictions, proving a major deterrent and reducing time spent by o...
Derbyshire Constabulary is undertaking a new head camera trial that is set to provide a "blueprint" for the way police services manage next generation body worn video (BWV) technology. The new BWV evidence management system, developed jointly with Scyron, the security and surveillance services company, is already helping to secure convictions, proving a major deterrent and reducing time spent by officers on paperwork by more than 30 percent.
The trial uses new miniature camera technology mounted on a headband and/or police officer's jacket. However, vital to its success is the level of automation and efficiency provided by the world's first software-based administration and evidence management system for BWV.
An officer starting a shift simply scans their ID card with a handheld barcode scanner (similar to those found in supermarkets). This tells the system which officer has what BWV equipment and memory card. At the end of the shift an officer again uses the barcode scanner and then downloads the video and audio footage via a memory card reader into the computer system. From a drop-down menu, the officer next decides if the footage is evidentially relevant. A mouse click enables a DVD to be burned which is automatically labeled with key information and printed with the Police Service's crest. The system can then create a statement to accompany the video evidence. The statement is pre-populated with the officer's details (held on the system and identified by the ID barcode), the date and time their shift began and when the footage was taken. All the officer has to do is enter some specific incident-related details.