A SCHEME to give police officers state-of-the-art video cameras to wear while on operational duties – which was piloted in Keighley and other parts of the district – is now to be phased in across West Yorkshire.

A six-week trial of the high-tech devices, which are smaller than a smart phone and worn on an officer’s uniform in the chest area, was held across the Bradford district and proved a big success.

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Battle, of West Yorkshire Police, said 250 cameras were deployed around the area and the force aimed to deploy 2,000 of the devices.

He said the video cameras would be used when officers attended a crime scene or were sent to public fights, domestic assaults or similar incidents.

Mr Battle said: “Officers will carry them as part of their equipment. Every officer who needs one will have access to one.

“They should be very obvious when they are switched on. We are conscious of Big Brother and that people think we are in a surveillance society, but there is no evidence that this will lead to people being goaded by the cameras.”

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson has invested £2 million to support the project.

Mr Battle added: “These devices will play a crucial role in the future of policing and members of the public can expect to see them routinely worn as part of our daily business. Their introduction marks a sea change in the way we are able to go about our work.

“The force has previously taken part in a Cambridge University study into their use, which has involved various models of camera.

“The outcome of this research has indicated that they hold some significant and tangible benefits.

“They have the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system, further improving integrity and the corroboration of evidence by acting as an ‘independent witness’.

“Likewise, they have shown to lead to an increase in early guilty pleas, which would mean a reduction in the need for victims, witnesses and the police in West Yorkshire to attend court.”

Mr Burns-Williamson said: “The use of body-worn cameras provides increased support to victims and witnesses.

“Their use means increased benefits for accountability and transparency which will lead to greater confidence in the police.

“They will allow officers to improve evidence gathering which leads to better criminal justice outcomes and increased protection for officers, they will also ensure public complaints can be resolved more quickly and conclusively.”

Mr Battle added: “There is evidence that people’s behaviour has changed when they know they are being filmed and incidents are resolved more effectively.”