Motorola Solutions has been selected to provide 13,000 VB400 body-worn cameras to His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service officers across England and Wales.

Motorola says that by capturing objective video and audio evidence, the deployment will help to enhance officer safety as well as trust and transparency for staff and prisoners alike.

A statement says: “The VB400 body-worn camera offers high quality video and audio capture and is equipped with an automatic pre-recording capability, helping to ensure there is a record of every interaction from start to finish.

“When signing off duty, officers return cameras to their docks which automatically upload and store the day’s footage to the VideoManager evidence management platform, providing a seamless and intuitive workflow.

“The body-camera’s lightweight and rugged design, wide-angle field of view and 12 hour battery life help prison staff to remain focused on the task at hand while promoting positive behaviour and interaction between staff and prisoners.”

Growing trends

Fergus Mayne, UK and Ireland country manager at Motorola Solutions, says: “We’re seeing a growing trend in the use of video security technology by prisons to help their frontline teams fulfill their roles safely and transparently.

“The UK government’s investment in body-worn cameras for officers in all public sector prisons across England and Wales highlights the vital importance of this technology in helping to maintain safety and security across prison operations.”

Not that a UK government contract is not without its own rule book which leaves little to the imagination in terms of its expectations.

Policy Framework

Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVC) Policy Framework, implemented in September last year, is explicit about how the Government sees the use of the devices.

Section 1.3 states that when used effectively, a BWVC allows first person audio and visual images to be captured to provide a clear and irrefutable record of events. With proper use the introduction of this technology will assist with:

• Allowing for more detailed examination of the events leading up to and management

of incidents;

• Enhance evidence capture;

• Promoting positive behaviour and interaction between staff and prisoners;

• Developing effective rehabilitative staff/prisoner relationships; supporting;

transparency, trust and confidence between staff and prisoner.

Section 4.1 says: “4.1 The use of BWVC for surveillance purposes within HMPPS must be in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

“Additionally, BWVC use for surveillance purposes within the Prison Service must also be in accordance with the Prison Rules 1999 and the Young Offender Institution Rules 2000.

“The UK GDPR sits alongside the DPA. Article 5 of the UK GDPR sets out six key principles relating to the processing of personal data. These principles guide how personal data is used for general processing purposes.

“Personal data is information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.”

The section adds: “Users must always ensure that BWVC is only used as an overt audio or overt visual recording mechanism and is not intentionally used covertly. BWVC are designed to operate with notifications (such as lights, beeps, and physical vibrations) so that both staff, prisoners and the public are aware that a camera is present and may be recording audio and images.”

Motorola Solutions claims it has a “has a strong track record in video security innovation with significant investments in the UK, including the company’s Edinburgh innovation hub which designs and develops advanced video technologies trusted by public safety agencies and organisations worldwide”.

About Motorola Solutions

Motorola Solutions is a global provider in public safety and enterprise security. Our solutions in land mobile radio communications, video security and the command centre, bolstered by managed and support services, create an integrated technology ecosystem to help make communities safer and businesses stay productive and secure. At Motorola Solutions, we’re ushering in a new era in public safety and security.

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