The misuse of body worn video cameras by the police
A two-year long investigation by the BBC has found an excess of 150 reports of the misuse of body worn video cameras by the police in England and Wales.
One particularly serious allegation involves footage of a vulnerable female reporting that she had been raped by a Police inspector that no longer exists due to an “administrative error” by Bedfordshire Police. It has also been found that officers within seven forces have shared footage with colleagues and friends, including over social media and through WhatsApp. Other reports state that images of a naked individual had been shared amongst officers and cameras were being used to record conversations.
The investigation also reports that body worn video cameras are being switched off when force is used. This is not a new revelation. In 2021 two Merseyside police officers turned off their body worn video cameras when their colleague punched a male in the face four times and once to the ribs after visiting the property to conduct a welfare check on the male’s partner. All three officers and a fourth attending officer later falsified their statements to not mention the assault or that there was body worn video to cover the interaction. All officers faced charges one of whom was imprisoned for 19 months. These officers abused their power and attempted to cover up their wrongdoings.
The Home Office stipulates that the use of body worn video cameras must be ‘lawful and justified’. They were introduced to protect both the police and the public and improve transparency and public trust. However, the investigation found that officers are frequently not facing sanctions for the misuse of body worn video cameras.