Police wear crime cameras (From Bucks Free Press)

Police wear crime cameras

1:09pm Friday 18th July 2008

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POLICE officers have started to wear cameras fitted to their jackets to provide filmed evidence of alleged crimes.

Four of the cameras have been handed to Wycombe and Marlow police stations.

They are connected to a computer disk which clips onto the officers' belts and can record up to two hours of video and sound.

PC Russ Murden, neighbourhood inspector for High Wycombe, said the cameras would be sent to jobs and used routinely on Tuesday and Friday nights.

Fights and similar public order offences were the types of crimes officers expected to capture on film, he said.

"It is a little bit like Robocop come home. It is very simple technology, very light and easy to use."

He added: "When people see cameras in the area it can diffuse situations when they realise whatever is being said or done is all being captured and could potentially be used in a future prosecution."

Camera evidence had already led to a suspect being remanded in custody when brought before a court, he said.

This might not have happened without video evidence, he said.

Responding to concerns about today's surveillance society' he said officers would wear armbands, indicating they are using cameras and the devices would be used openly.

To watch an interview with PC Murden and to see video footage taken from the new cameras, click on the link above.

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