UK police abuse body-worn cameras

A BBC investigation found more than 150 cases in which UK police abused their body-worn cameras by deleting footage, turning them off when using force, and sharing videos on WhatsApp, other social media, or in person. The cameras, which have cost at least £90 million over the last decade, were intended to improve transparency, protect police against malicious complaints, and benefit victims by improving the quality of evidence. In some cases, the behaviour was said to be unlawful by the National Police Chief Council's lead for body-worn video. Victims of police assault struggled to gain access to the video gathered by the cameras. They include two individuals wrongly prosecuted for allegedly being abusive and assaulting police officers while attending a Black Lives Matter protest. Both protesters were acquitted following legal proceedings and in one of the two cases, the judge found that the prosecution had deliberately not disclosed relevant information.    

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66809642

Publication: BBC

Publication date: 2023-09-28

Writer:  Noel Titheradge