Body worn video

All our frontline police officers and PCSOs are equipped with Body Worn Video cameras (BWV) and wear them in their daily patrols and duties.

BWV devices are visible cameras that officers wear attached to their chest. They capture video and audio evidence when attending all types of crime incidents to help support prosecutions. If recorded footage is not required as evidence, it is automatically deleted after 31 days. There are strict rules in place governing when and how footage can be viewed, retained or disclosed.

Our current provider of the cameras and associated software is Axon®.

How will you know you are being recorded?

Officers wear the cameras overtly on the outside of their uniform. Under normal circumstances, a flashing red light indicates recording. Wherever possible, the officer should inform you that they are recording.

What happens to the footage recorded on BWV devices?

We store BWV footage securely using software specifically designed for police use. This is in line with guidance from the Home Office as well as legislation including the:

• Data Protection Act 1998
• Freedom of Information Act 2000
• Human Rights Act 1998

If there is a policing purpose, then we can share BWV footage with a number of partners. This will routinely involve the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a criminal investigation but might include other partners such as the local council.

We keep evidential footage in line with force policy. Non-evidential footage will be deleted after 31 days.

We may also disclose BWV footage during a prosecution under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996. Where appropriate, it could be played to a court.

What you need to know about BWV if you want to make a complaint

If you wish to make a complaint about the police, you should do so in a timely fashion. If the BWV footage is otherwise not considered to be evidential, it will be deleted after 31 days. After that period, deleted footage cannot be recovered.

Find further information on how to make a complaint

Can you or an outside organisation obtain video footage?

Requests for footage will be considered under the relevant laws. This includes the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and the Human Rights Act 1998.

See more information on the Data Protection page and the Freedom of Information page.