Bobbies to get body cameras in the fight against crime

Failsworth and Hollinwood District Partnership
BOBBIES will soon be patrolling Failsworth and Hollinwood wearing body cameras after the district partnership agreed to £4,000 of funding.

The cameras are worn on a police officer’s chest and have a small screen which allows the person being filmed to see themselves.

Filmed footage can be used to show parents their children’s actions and can be produced as evidence in courtrooms.

Costing £1,000 each, the cameras have been used in other police forces across the North West, by British Transport Police and have been used in war zones. Insp Muzemil Kernain, from the Failsworth and Hollinwood neighbourhood policing team, said the cameras would be used in and around the Tesco store in Failsworth to reduce anti-social behaviour caused by youths.

He said: “They would also be used to find who is supplying alcohol to those youths and identifying and protect vulnerable and at risk people.

“Using the cameras will save officers time as we can play back footage to parents and get them on board.”

Insp Kernain said Greater Manchester Police had match funded the amount and that has been spent on equipment needed to download the footage and print off images.

Hollinwood councillor Jean Stretton said she wanted assurances that the cameras would be used in the Failsworth and Hollinwood areas, and regular updates on successful prosecutions should be given before the members approved the funding.